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Cruel Illusions
Caraval meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this deliciously dark young adult fantasy about a girl who makes a deal with a magical secret society to enter a potentially deadly competition for the chance to avenge her mother’s death.
Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home.
But it’s been ten years since anyone’s seen a vampire, and Ava has lost hope that she’ll ever find one…until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where she witnesses impossible illusions. The magicians may not be the bloodsuckers she’s hunting, but Ava is convinced something supernatural is at play, so she sneaks backstage and catches them in acts they can’t explain.
But they’ve been waiting for her.
The magicians reveal they’re part of an ancient secret society with true magic, and Ava has the same power in her blood that they do. If she joins them, they promise to teach her the skills she needs to hunt vampires and avenge her mother. But there’s a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she’s worthy of it. And to do so, she must put on the performance of her life in a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.
Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home.
But it’s been ten years since anyone’s seen a vampire, and Ava has lost hope that she’ll ever find one…until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where she witnesses impossible illusions. The magicians may not be the bloodsuckers she’s hunting, but Ava is convinced something supernatural is at play, so she sneaks backstage and catches them in acts they can’t explain.
But they’ve been waiting for her.
The magicians reveal they’re part of an ancient secret society with true magic, and Ava has the same power in her blood that they do. If she joins them, they promise to teach her the skills she needs to hunt vampires and avenge her mother. But there’s a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she’s worthy of it. And to do so, she must put on the performance of her life in a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.
503 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2022
181 people are currently reading
17481 people want to read
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March 16, 2023
aka, “BLOOD: THE BLOODENING”
I don’t normally do summary-style reviews, but there’s a first time for everything, and my brain is too exhausted from all the BLOOD and mid-tier edge to come up with anything wise or profound.
So buckle up, buttercup, because it’s time to experience the greatest crossover fanfiction to ever escape the annals of Wattpad a publishing house.
Our heroine is Ava, a wannabe Hot Topic girl who likes the color black and not much else (she doesn’t like red—red reminds her too much of BLOOD). Ava lives with her foster mother—sorry, her “foster-whatever”—Deb, Deb’s son Jacob, and Parker, her younger brother, who is the only thing she likes as much as Black Veil Brides or Invader Zim (probably). Or at least, she claims she does—she seems to want Parker to be just as miserable as she is and gets really upset when Deb has the audacity to buy them new clothes or feed them a homemade dinner. Their dad died in a mugging and their mom kicked it soon afterward when she was killed by a vampire. It’s very tragic and awful and absolutely absolves Ava of all guilt for the way she treats everyone else in her life.
Ava spends her days rolling her eyes at her grody foster-whatevers and walking around at night with homemade stakes looking for vampires like some sort of middle school-aged Bleach fan. She’s invited out of nowhere to join a troupe of magicians who are also vampire hunters, and she accepts because her foster-whatever is a total drag and her parents were stage magicians. Also she’s 17 and she can run away to join the circus if she wants to, because she’s a grown-up, so screw you, Deb.
The troupe consists of a bunch of forgettable cliches—there’s some creepy twins, a pair of lesbians who I do not remember a single other thing about because why write real rep when you can beat the same joke about lesbians and Lara Croft to death for 400 pages?, and a sexy firebender named Aristelle who is Sassy™ and hates her for no real reason. Also there’s Xander. Xander has green hair, hits on everything that moves, and does not ever wear a shirt, which automatically makes him unbearably attractive.
Their magic is really good, but Ava knows it’s not REAL magic because REAL magic doesn’t exist. It’s a publicly known fact in this universe that vampires exist, but magic? That just wouldn’t make sense.
A lot of infodumping later and we learn that real magic is a thing along with vampires, and magicians and vampires are pretty much the same thing or come from the same thing because their magic is in their BLOOD but the vampires are different because they’re vampires. It doesn’t really make much sense, but that’s okay, because neither does the rest of the book. Don’t think too hard about it, just focus on the fact that Xander doesn’t have a shirt. It’s just not there. I cannot overstate this, Xander is shirtless.
The troupe is in a competition to win some magic BLOOD jewellery that makes their new troupe member immortal. Or something like that. I forget. Also if they lose one of their members has to leave the troupe forever. Ava thinks this sounds very logical and not at all like she’s missing vital information, and decides to join despite the fact all she knows how to do is flip a quarter around. The competition takes place in a big mansion that no else in town seems to have noticed exists.
The leader of all the magicians is this guy named Lucius. He has long silver-blonde hair and is very fancy and very snobby. I hear Jason Isaacs has been optioned to play him in the inevitable blockbuster Netflix adaptation. Lucius has this mysterious silent girlfriend with a name very similar to Aristelle, so I don’t remember what it is, and it doesn’t really matter, because she doesn’t play a part in the plot at all.
There’s also a bunch of other magicians competing with Ava for the BLOOD jewellery. There’s this guy Ethan who likes guns, a Manic Pixie Dream Hippie named Willow (yes, really) who controls plants, a shapeshifter named Nadine or Nadia (there are characters with both names and I do not remember or care who is who), and some other people who are brought up and then immediately abandoned. Don’t worry about them, they’re not important.
(We also meet Willow’s trainer, a brooding sad-sack named Roman who is a jerk to everyone and doesn’t seem to want his apprentice to win. This makes him, too, unbearably attractive.
Also he’s a vampire.)
What is important is that this competition is Very Important and Very Dangerous but also don’t worry, no one is really getting cut in half or dragged through the floor! It’s all an ILLUSION! Or is it? Basically what we’re talking about here is Caraval except…no, actually, that’s exactly what it is. It’s Caraval . Except it sucks.
The competition has no real structure and is basically just a montage of every YA competition over the last 20 years. The Goblet of Fire hedge maze is in there, and so is plenty of Throne of Glass -esque tests and badly described combat.
We’re just along for the ride as Fuston throws BLOOD everywhere and comes up with a bunch of nonsensical world-building that isn’t very well explained but somehow forms the backbone of the entire plot. Like in order to feed the mansion or the magic or whatever you have to go to this ceremony and spill BLOOD all over the place. It’s very BLOODY and very edgy.
After about 200 pages of repetitive nonsense, Ava decides that maybe all the BLOOD rituals and people disappearing is a little fishy, and after some digging she discovers that her mother was the most powerful magician in the world and also the first magician ever to exist and also immortal, and this means she too is the most powerful magician ever to exist, despite the fact that all she can really do is flip knives and make coins disappear.
But hold on, because we need to throw another fandom into the mix—Darth Vader, I mean Lucius Malfoy, I mean Lucius, is actually Ava’s father! Shock! Surprise! EDGE!
Ava also learns that Darth Malfoy has a giant garden of vines that somehow no one else has ever seen and that’s where he puts people who lose the competition. He sticks them on the vines like a fabulous Vlad The Impaler so that their BLOOD can feed the mansion. Or the magic. Or do something. Look, there’s a lot of mentions of BLOOD in this book, I can’t keep straight what all of it does.
But Ava can’t be bothered by that right now, she needs to get back to the magician Hunger Games and defeat her mortal enemy, Ethan the Pistol Man. She has a couple magic fights with Ethan, gets mortally wounded a few times (it’s okay, she’s fine) while Xander and Roman fight over her, and then Roman finally kills Ethan in the last match because Ava couldn’t bring herself to do it, but this counts as Ava winning anyway because hey, this is Cruel Illusions. If you want logic, you’re in the wrong book.
Also someone slits Ethan’s throat so that his BLOOD gets all over Ava and she gets an Epic Power Up. It’s super gnarly.
At some point during all this she discovers that the troupe she joined doesn’t actually care about her and only wanted her because she’s Incredibly Powerful (but also can’t win a single fight without outside help) and also her shirtless crush Xander has been secretly dating Aristelle the Firebender this whole time! She’s actually like 50 years old and he’s 17 but it’s okay because she’s immortal and trapped in a sexy 16 year old body, and also she’s a girl. If she were a guy it would be gross. Anyway. Betrayal! Tragedy! HEARTBREAK!
Ava decides to go stop Lucius with Roman because—well, I forget why. He’s evil or something, he killed her mother and father or had his estranged brother who is also a vampire do it, something like that. It doesn’t matter what exactly he’s doing that’s so bad, he’s EVIL and only Ava, the most powerful Main Character in the world, can stop him! So Roman and Ava do…something? but then Lucius captures Roman and tells Ava she has to kill him. And he makes all the magicians gather around in a bunch of boats in the middle of a lake to watch. But Ava attacks Lucius instead and kicks off this big battle scene where everyone is suddenly in the middle of the evil BLOOD garden and fighting a bunch of vampires who just showed up. Also the big bad vampire Numeral or Numa Numa or whatever shows up and Ava and Darth Malfoy have to fight him together. But it’s okay because Ava still kills Lucius. She takes Lucius’s magic BLOOD crown (which he wasn’t wearing until now) and her mother’s magic BLOOD necklace and gets all blinged out, which gives her another Epic Power Up from the magic in all the BLOOD everywhere and the evil scary vines go away and everyone who was impaled on them for decades is okay again. She frees magic, which was apparently trapped this whole time despite everyone using it left and right, and all is well in the world of vampire-hunting magicians. Except that now no one is very powerful anymore or immortal. So yay? I guess? Look, that part was honestly pretty murky.
Ava decides her foster-whatever isn’t so grody after all and she and Roman go back home, but not before she forgives all the troupe members who manipulated and lied to her and nearly got her killed. They eat pizza and watch The NeverEnding Story (I swear Fuston is screwing with us.) for about ten pages before the curtains close on the most epic story of magic and BLOOD ever put to the page.
I am not entirely convinced this book was a legitimate attempt. I have a theory that it’s actually the result of a dare or a bet, in which Fuston was challenged to combine Caraval, Twilight , Harry Potter , and The Hunger Games into one book and attempt to get it published, and it backfired. It’s the only reasonable explanation. However, nothing can explain why FairyLoot would choose to include this book, nor why I would spend a month trying to finish it.
Cruel Illusions ? More like Cruel….yeah, I’ve got nothing.
I don’t normally do summary-style reviews, but there’s a first time for everything, and my brain is too exhausted from all the BLOOD and mid-tier edge to come up with anything wise or profound.
So buckle up, buttercup, because it’s time to experience the greatest crossover fanfiction to ever escape the annals of
Our heroine is Ava, a wannabe Hot Topic girl who likes the color black and not much else (she doesn’t like red—red reminds her too much of BLOOD). Ava lives with her foster mother—sorry, her “foster-whatever”—Deb, Deb’s son Jacob, and Parker, her younger brother, who is the only thing she likes as much as Black Veil Brides or Invader Zim (probably). Or at least, she claims she does—she seems to want Parker to be just as miserable as she is and gets really upset when Deb has the audacity to buy them new clothes or feed them a homemade dinner. Their dad died in a mugging and their mom kicked it soon afterward when she was killed by a vampire. It’s very tragic and awful and absolutely absolves Ava of all guilt for the way she treats everyone else in her life.
Ava spends her days rolling her eyes at her grody foster-whatevers and walking around at night with homemade stakes looking for vampires like some sort of middle school-aged Bleach fan. She’s invited out of nowhere to join a troupe of magicians who are also vampire hunters, and she accepts because her foster-whatever is a total drag and her parents were stage magicians. Also she’s 17 and she can run away to join the circus if she wants to, because she’s a grown-up, so screw you, Deb.
The troupe consists of a bunch of forgettable cliches—there’s some creepy twins, a pair of lesbians who I do not remember a single other thing about because why write real rep when you can beat the same joke about lesbians and Lara Croft to death for 400 pages?, and a sexy firebender named Aristelle who is Sassy™ and hates her for no real reason. Also there’s Xander. Xander has green hair, hits on everything that moves, and does not ever wear a shirt, which automatically makes him unbearably attractive.
Their magic is really good, but Ava knows it’s not REAL magic because REAL magic doesn’t exist. It’s a publicly known fact in this universe that vampires exist, but magic? That just wouldn’t make sense.
A lot of infodumping later and we learn that real magic is a thing along with vampires, and magicians and vampires are pretty much the same thing or come from the same thing because their magic is in their BLOOD but the vampires are different because they’re vampires. It doesn’t really make much sense, but that’s okay, because neither does the rest of the book. Don’t think too hard about it, just focus on the fact that Xander doesn’t have a shirt. It’s just not there. I cannot overstate this, Xander is shirtless.
The troupe is in a competition to win some magic BLOOD jewellery that makes their new troupe member immortal. Or something like that. I forget. Also if they lose one of their members has to leave the troupe forever. Ava thinks this sounds very logical and not at all like she’s missing vital information, and decides to join despite the fact all she knows how to do is flip a quarter around. The competition takes place in a big mansion that no else in town seems to have noticed exists.
The leader of all the magicians is this guy named Lucius. He has long silver-blonde hair and is very fancy and very snobby. I hear Jason Isaacs has been optioned to play him in the inevitable blockbuster Netflix adaptation. Lucius has this mysterious silent girlfriend with a name very similar to Aristelle, so I don’t remember what it is, and it doesn’t really matter, because she doesn’t play a part in the plot at all.
There’s also a bunch of other magicians competing with Ava for the BLOOD jewellery. There’s this guy Ethan who likes guns, a Manic Pixie Dream Hippie named Willow (yes, really) who controls plants, a shapeshifter named Nadine or Nadia (there are characters with both names and I do not remember or care who is who), and some other people who are brought up and then immediately abandoned. Don’t worry about them, they’re not important.
(We also meet Willow’s trainer, a brooding sad-sack named Roman who is a jerk to everyone and doesn’t seem to want his apprentice to win. This makes him, too, unbearably attractive.
Also he’s a vampire.)
What is important is that this competition is Very Important and Very Dangerous but also don’t worry, no one is really getting cut in half or dragged through the floor! It’s all an ILLUSION! Or is it? Basically what we’re talking about here is Caraval except…no, actually, that’s exactly what it is. It’s Caraval . Except it sucks.
The competition has no real structure and is basically just a montage of every YA competition over the last 20 years. The Goblet of Fire hedge maze is in there, and so is plenty of Throne of Glass -esque tests and badly described combat.
We’re just along for the ride as Fuston throws BLOOD everywhere and comes up with a bunch of nonsensical world-building that isn’t very well explained but somehow forms the backbone of the entire plot. Like in order to feed the mansion or the magic or whatever you have to go to this ceremony and spill BLOOD all over the place. It’s very BLOODY and very edgy.
After about 200 pages of repetitive nonsense, Ava decides that maybe all the BLOOD rituals and people disappearing is a little fishy, and after some digging she discovers that her mother was the most powerful magician in the world and also the first magician ever to exist and also immortal, and this means she too is the most powerful magician ever to exist, despite the fact that all she can really do is flip knives and make coins disappear.
But hold on, because we need to throw another fandom into the mix—Darth Vader, I mean Lucius Malfoy, I mean Lucius, is actually Ava’s father! Shock! Surprise! EDGE!
Ava also learns that Darth Malfoy has a giant garden of vines that somehow no one else has ever seen and that’s where he puts people who lose the competition. He sticks them on the vines like a fabulous Vlad The Impaler so that their BLOOD can feed the mansion. Or the magic. Or do something. Look, there’s a lot of mentions of BLOOD in this book, I can’t keep straight what all of it does.
But Ava can’t be bothered by that right now, she needs to get back to the magician Hunger Games and defeat her mortal enemy, Ethan the Pistol Man. She has a couple magic fights with Ethan, gets mortally wounded a few times (it’s okay, she’s fine) while Xander and Roman fight over her, and then Roman finally kills Ethan in the last match because Ava couldn’t bring herself to do it, but this counts as Ava winning anyway because hey, this is Cruel Illusions. If you want logic, you’re in the wrong book.
Also someone slits Ethan’s throat so that his BLOOD gets all over Ava and she gets an Epic Power Up. It’s super gnarly.
At some point during all this she discovers that the troupe she joined doesn’t actually care about her and only wanted her because she’s Incredibly Powerful (but also can’t win a single fight without outside help) and also her shirtless crush Xander has been secretly dating Aristelle the Firebender this whole time! She’s actually like 50 years old and he’s 17 but it’s okay because she’s immortal and trapped in a sexy 16 year old body, and also she’s a girl. If she were a guy it would be gross. Anyway. Betrayal! Tragedy! HEARTBREAK!
Ava decides to go stop Lucius with Roman because—well, I forget why. He’s evil or something, he killed her mother and father or had his estranged brother who is also a vampire do it, something like that. It doesn’t matter what exactly he’s doing that’s so bad, he’s EVIL and only Ava, the most powerful Main Character in the world, can stop him! So Roman and Ava do…something? but then Lucius captures Roman and tells Ava she has to kill him. And he makes all the magicians gather around in a bunch of boats in the middle of a lake to watch. But Ava attacks Lucius instead and kicks off this big battle scene where everyone is suddenly in the middle of the evil BLOOD garden and fighting a bunch of vampires who just showed up. Also the big bad vampire Numeral or Numa Numa or whatever shows up and Ava and Darth Malfoy have to fight him together. But it’s okay because Ava still kills Lucius. She takes Lucius’s magic BLOOD crown (which he wasn’t wearing until now) and her mother’s magic BLOOD necklace and gets all blinged out, which gives her another Epic Power Up from the magic in all the BLOOD everywhere and the evil scary vines go away and everyone who was impaled on them for decades is okay again. She frees magic, which was apparently trapped this whole time despite everyone using it left and right, and all is well in the world of vampire-hunting magicians. Except that now no one is very powerful anymore or immortal. So yay? I guess? Look, that part was honestly pretty murky.
Ava decides her foster-whatever isn’t so grody after all and she and Roman go back home, but not before she forgives all the troupe members who manipulated and lied to her and nearly got her killed. They eat pizza and watch The NeverEnding Story (I swear Fuston is screwing with us.) for about ten pages before the curtains close on the most epic story of magic and BLOOD ever put to the page.
I am not entirely convinced this book was a legitimate attempt. I have a theory that it’s actually the result of a dare or a bet, in which Fuston was challenged to combine Caraval, Twilight , Harry Potter , and The Hunger Games into one book and attempt to get it published, and it backfired. It’s the only reasonable explanation. However, nothing can explain why FairyLoot would choose to include this book, nor why I would spend a month trying to finish it.
Cruel Illusions ? More like Cruel….yeah, I’ve got nothing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2023
a 3.5 objectively, but a 2.8 for enjoyment. i threw so many imaginary tomatoes at these pages.
spoiler alert: she is NOT like other girls!
-
side note: i need the “brooding love interest wins over comic relief love interest no matter what bc his dark past is enough to completely win, and any/all plot points will be utilized to take the funny one out of the picture” genre to come to an end. i have been begging for over ten years.
spoiler alert: she is NOT like other girls!
-
side note: i need the “brooding love interest wins over comic relief love interest no matter what bc his dark past is enough to completely win, and any/all plot points will be utilized to take the funny one out of the picture” genre to come to an end. i have been begging for over ten years.
October 20, 2022
A fun read for spooky season! Unique magic system, but quite predictable with a feel of "been there/done that" if you've read a handful or more of this type of YA novel before. Recommended for those looking for a romantic and gritty darker fantasy this fall!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Read
June 19, 2023I don’t know what to say really. I don’t like competition books although I’ve read a few and liked them because it went with certain things. Oh I can’t explain it d@mn it. I wanted to love this so I could buy this beautiful hardback but no. I was pretty much bored and had to skim it so I just don’t have a rating. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh……
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
March 24, 2023
Hi my name is (Ava) Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way and I have long ebony black hair (that’s how I got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears and a lot of people tell me I look like Amy Lee (AN: if u don’t know who she is get da hell out of here!). I’m not related to Gerard Way but I wish I was because he’s a major fucking hottie. I’m a vampire (hunter) but my teeth are straight and white. I have pale white skin. I’m also a witch, and I go to a magic school called Hogwarts in England where I’m in the seventh year (I’m seventeen). I’m a goth (in case you couldn’t tell) and I wear mostly black. I love Hot Topic and I buy all my clothes from there. For example today I was wearing a black corset with matching lace around it and a black leather miniskirt, pink fishnets and black combat boots. I was wearing black lipstick, white foundation, black eyeliner and red eye shadow. I was walking outside Hogwarts. It was snowing and raining so there was no sun, which I was very happy about. A lot of preps stared at me. I put up my middle finger at them.
“Hey Ebony!” shouted a voice. I looked up. It was…. Draco Malfoy!
“What’s up Draco?” I asked.
“Nothing.” he said shyly.
But then, I heard my friends call me and I had to go away.
Disclaimer: This may or may not be a quote from the book. If you know, you know. But let me tell you, if you're looking for an old school vampire-packed trashy tropy Twilight-like YA fantasy like they used to write in the golden days, look no further than Cruel Illusions. What. A. Treat. <3
“Hey Ebony!” shouted a voice. I looked up. It was…. Draco Malfoy!
“What’s up Draco?” I asked.
“Nothing.” he said shyly.
But then, I heard my friends call me and I had to go away.
Disclaimer: This may or may not be a quote from the book. If you know, you know. But let me tell you, if you're looking for an old school vampire-packed trashy tropy Twilight-like YA fantasy like they used to write in the golden days, look no further than Cruel Illusions. What. A. Treat. <3
September 24, 2024
3.75 out of 5 stars!
Reasons why I'm interested in this book:
- I really liked the author's debut novel. (Naturally that makes me curious of her future works too)
- Pitched as 'Caraval' meets 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
- Vampire hunters
- Secret society
- Badass cover! I mean look at it.
- Oh, and did I mention BUFFY?
Reasons why I'm interested in this book:
- I really liked the author's debut novel. (Naturally that makes me curious of her future works too)
- Pitched as 'Caraval' meets 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
- Vampire hunters
- Secret society
- Badass cover! I mean look at it.
- Oh, and did I mention BUFFY?
April 21, 2023
Mixing magicians and vampires? - Strange, but I loved it!
Cruel Illusions fascinatingly mixes Vampires and Magicians. While the book at its core has the typical YA formula, Fuston put enough of her spin on it to make it feel fresh and a fun reading experience.
Fueling your magic by performing in front of an audience is such a cool concept, and I loved the connection between Magicians and Vampires.
I LOATH love triangles, and while this technically has one, it didn’t bother me? 🤯 (wtf is happening?)
I'm a ho for my broody, mysterious man, Roman. He was complex, and I enjoyed their interactions a lot ❤️🔥
However, the FMC's back-and-forth between the two guys was tiresome, but I could ignore it because the plot kept me invested.
Don't get me wrong, I ate up the Romance crumbs, but I stayed for the unique magic system and the family theme!
While I enjoyed most of the book and despite its unique concept, I still felt the story was too predictable at times.
Nonetheless, Cruel Illusions is worth a shot to satiate your next YA Vampire mood but want a little twist. And Bonus points for this being a Standalone!
🗂Genre: Paranormal YA
📕Type:
🏷Tropes:
- Forbidden Romance
- Love Triangle
- Magicians & Magic
- Vampires & Vampire Hunter
- Secret Society
- Found family vibes
- Mystery & Suspense
- Seeking Revenge
⚠️Safety: Violence, gore, knife & gun use, death of parents, depictions of both positive & negative experiences relating to foster care, domestic abuse in a character backstory, death of a sibling in a character backstory, (nonsexual) assault
📖Format: 1st person, single POV and narration (Madeline Pell)
📚If you loved this, check out: Caraval
Cruel Illusions fascinatingly mixes Vampires and Magicians. While the book at its core has the typical YA formula, Fuston put enough of her spin on it to make it feel fresh and a fun reading experience.
Fueling your magic by performing in front of an audience is such a cool concept, and I loved the connection between Magicians and Vampires.
I LOATH love triangles, and while this technically has one, it didn’t bother me? 🤯 (wtf is happening?)
I'm a ho for my broody, mysterious man, Roman. He was complex, and I enjoyed their interactions a lot ❤️🔥
However, the FMC's back-and-forth between the two guys was tiresome, but I could ignore it because the plot kept me invested.
Don't get me wrong, I ate up the Romance crumbs, but I stayed for the unique magic system and the family theme!
While I enjoyed most of the book and despite its unique concept, I still felt the story was too predictable at times.
Nonetheless, Cruel Illusions is worth a shot to satiate your next YA Vampire mood but want a little twist. And Bonus points for this being a Standalone!
🗂Genre: Paranormal YA
📕Type:
🏷Tropes:
- Forbidden Romance
- Love Triangle
- Magicians & Magic
- Vampires & Vampire Hunter
- Secret Society
- Found family vibes
- Mystery & Suspense
- Seeking Revenge
⚠️Safety: Violence, gore, knife & gun use, death of parents, depictions of both positive & negative experiences relating to foster care, domestic abuse in a character backstory, death of a sibling in a character backstory, (nonsexual) assault
📖Format: 1st person, single POV and narration (Madeline Pell)
📚If you loved this, check out: Caraval
December 3, 2022
Review coming soon.
June 6, 2023
I'm making an effort to read through my monthly special edition subscription books and:
-This was overwritten and convoluted.
-FMC is an 18 year old petulant, talentless, and immature pick me girl.
-MMCs were mediocre; there was no chemistry with either sides of this love triangle.
-Blood was the buzzword for this whole book.
-Concept was cool but I don't think it was pulled off well.
So I found this to be a mess and waste of my time. Lovely.
-This was overwritten and convoluted.
-FMC is an 18 year old petulant, talentless, and immature pick me girl.
-MMCs were mediocre; there was no chemistry with either sides of this love triangle.
-Blood was the buzzword for this whole book.
-Concept was cool but I don't think it was pulled off well.
So I found this to be a mess and waste of my time. Lovely.
February 22, 2023
2023 reads: 62/350
ava has been determined to avenge her mother ever since she was killed by vampires. then, the perfect opportunity arises when a troupe of magicians invites her to join them…as long as she can make her way through a deadly competition.
i had really high expectations for this book. first, it was a fairyloot pick, and i always love their books. also, i thought it’d be full of romance. while it was a fun book, it didn’t have as much romance as i thought it would. still, i enjoyed the competition aspect and all of the big reveals/plot twists (though some were predictable).
i would recommend this book and i plan on reading the author’s other books!
ava has been determined to avenge her mother ever since she was killed by vampires. then, the perfect opportunity arises when a troupe of magicians invites her to join them…as long as she can make her way through a deadly competition.
i had really high expectations for this book. first, it was a fairyloot pick, and i always love their books. also, i thought it’d be full of romance. while it was a fun book, it didn’t have as much romance as i thought it would. still, i enjoyed the competition aspect and all of the big reveals/plot twists (though some were predictable).
i would recommend this book and i plan on reading the author’s other books!
Want to read
August 1, 2021Pitched as Caraval meets Buffy? A group of magicians that hunt vampires? Sign me up.
Another Deal Report that has totally sold me.
Another Deal Report that has totally sold me.
August 19, 2022
I received Cruel Illusions from netgalley in return for an honest review.
This is an easy, predictable, digestible, vampire read with a creative magic system that focuses on magic shows as creating true magic.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good YA book for someone who wants something bloody and gritty for their vampire story. Lots of twists, betrayal, staking, and blood. It’s just if you’ve read these sorts of YA books: the plotline, the story twists, and the general themes are all rather predictable.
The story is about Ava, a young woman on the cusp of womanhood who has spent the last few years in foster homes after her mother was killed by vampires, though only she believes that. At seventeen, she’s taken in by a family that her brother fits in perfectly with, and she stumbles on a magic show that seems too good to be real. Which turns out to be true.
Taken in as their apprentice, and beguiled by the young man Xander, she agrees to join them at the competition of magicians that year and hopefully earn a chance to become an immortal, another young man with his own apprentice tries to warn her off the idea, but she disregards his warning, knowing that by following this troupe, she’ll have a chance to learn more about her mother and get revenge against the vampires who killed her.
The magic system is honestly what I found the most unique and interesting, especially considering today’s climate. I still find myself drawn to magic tricks even though most of them have long been explained through youtube tutorials and other means. I remember a time I’d stay up late to watch some of the shows that would come on, and sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if the love of magic shows went with the television or if people there’s still a thriving love for it.
The magic system itself relies on belief. The magician creates a show. One where the audience must believe in what they’re seeing (at least in the moment) and that is what fills up the magician so they can do their real magic. Then they use that magic to hunt down and kill vampires.
The vampires are magicians who wanted more. Basically, blood magicians who used blood to fuel their magic and now have to live on that blood to even live. It gets more complicated as the book goes on, so this might not quite be how it’s described in the beginning.
The story focuses on the cutthroat competition as it turns out that anyone who doesn’t bring a suitable apprentice to the competition doesn’t just have their troupe dissolved into other troupes, but forcibly removed, maybe even have their memories removed liked the failed apprentices, and the apprentices realize that they are all fighting for only one spot against each other. The competitions are often being dropped in the middle of illusions and blindly guessing what they need to do, with a few actual performances in the middle where only one of them is eliminated.
Between these competitions is where character growth is. Where we get the twists and betrayals. Where the love triangle grows, and I’m sure it’s a serviceable love triangle. My love-hating teenage self would have hated it with the all the power of a thousand suns, and my older self, that can like romances, appreciated that it had thematic relevance while also hating it with the passion of a thousand suns.
Mostly, this is a good book to read if you want an angsty book that doesn’t challenge you as much as it thinks it does. It’s not bad. This is a genuinely good book to read if you’re in the right mood for it, and I’d totally get it for my cousin when she in high school, I think she would have eaten it right up then. So, it’s a solid 3 from me.
This is an easy, predictable, digestible, vampire read with a creative magic system that focuses on magic shows as creating true magic.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good YA book for someone who wants something bloody and gritty for their vampire story. Lots of twists, betrayal, staking, and blood. It’s just if you’ve read these sorts of YA books: the plotline, the story twists, and the general themes are all rather predictable.
The story is about Ava, a young woman on the cusp of womanhood who has spent the last few years in foster homes after her mother was killed by vampires, though only she believes that. At seventeen, she’s taken in by a family that her brother fits in perfectly with, and she stumbles on a magic show that seems too good to be real. Which turns out to be true.
Taken in as their apprentice, and beguiled by the young man Xander, she agrees to join them at the competition of magicians that year and hopefully earn a chance to become an immortal, another young man with his own apprentice tries to warn her off the idea, but she disregards his warning, knowing that by following this troupe, she’ll have a chance to learn more about her mother and get revenge against the vampires who killed her.
The magic system is honestly what I found the most unique and interesting, especially considering today’s climate. I still find myself drawn to magic tricks even though most of them have long been explained through youtube tutorials and other means. I remember a time I’d stay up late to watch some of the shows that would come on, and sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder if the love of magic shows went with the television or if people there’s still a thriving love for it.
The magic system itself relies on belief. The magician creates a show. One where the audience must believe in what they’re seeing (at least in the moment) and that is what fills up the magician so they can do their real magic. Then they use that magic to hunt down and kill vampires.
The vampires are magicians who wanted more. Basically, blood magicians who used blood to fuel their magic and now have to live on that blood to even live. It gets more complicated as the book goes on, so this might not quite be how it’s described in the beginning.
The story focuses on the cutthroat competition as it turns out that anyone who doesn’t bring a suitable apprentice to the competition doesn’t just have their troupe dissolved into other troupes, but forcibly removed, maybe even have their memories removed liked the failed apprentices, and the apprentices realize that they are all fighting for only one spot against each other. The competitions are often being dropped in the middle of illusions and blindly guessing what they need to do, with a few actual performances in the middle where only one of them is eliminated.
Between these competitions is where character growth is. Where we get the twists and betrayals. Where the love triangle grows, and I’m sure it’s a serviceable love triangle. My love-hating teenage self would have hated it with the all the power of a thousand suns, and my older self, that can like romances, appreciated that it had thematic relevance while also hating it with the passion of a thousand suns.
Mostly, this is a good book to read if you want an angsty book that doesn’t challenge you as much as it thinks it does. It’s not bad. This is a genuinely good book to read if you’re in the right mood for it, and I’d totally get it for my cousin when she in high school, I think she would have eaten it right up then. So, it’s a solid 3 from me.
January 29, 2023
1.5
I hated this book and here’s why.
So, not into the woe is me storyline. I thought at first it would be interesting because I have never read a fantasy with a foster child as a main character. This girl then, literally complains because her kind foster -whatever- Deb, bought her clothes. The thought process for that was ‘well Deb gets money for me and like others didn’t she didn’t have to spend the money on me.’ So, I’m asking is she upset because other people didn’t spend the fostering money on her or because Deb did? That becomes irrelevant because it’s well established that Ava is 18.5yrs. Foster money stops at 18, Deb is willingly spending her own money (as a single mother) to help Ava feel comfortable and the response is that she won’t even thank Deb because that would give too much power to her. Ok, cool, love that for you, you vapid ‘pick me’ girl.
The temper tantrum over her brother not being dependent on her. Ava complains about heating him up leftover spaghetti for dinner, how the hell did she think she’d be able adopt him and meet that kids needs when heating up dinner for thirty seconds in the microwave was too much effort? And it was made mention that she had to save all her money to buy him one piece of pizza once a year for his birthday, tell me how she was meant to keep a roof over their heads. Also, don’t even get me started on how she uses him for a security blanket and that nonsense with the birthday party. Let the poor kid have a party for the first time in his sad life.
I can accept, just, that maybe Ava is pushing Deb (and all that surrounds her) away because she’s too scared to be comfortable for fear of it being torn away from either her or her brother, a defence mechanism for being in the foster system, type response, if it wasn’t for the…
Instalove. Haven’t even really spoken to Xander and Ava’s freaking out because he was standing with Aristelle. Girl, that’s so many shades of red flag I can’t even begin to list them. This is not the behaviour of someone pushing people away for fear of loss. That shit with Xander being her prince and her treating Roman like shit because of his little secrete. She had known them both for about three weeks, Roman had a reason, Xander was a manipulative arsehole, yet who did she forgive first??? Not the dude trying to keep her alive. But this was a common theme right through, she was a bitch to the people who was kind to her and was forgiving to the scum. Drove me mad.
The vampire slaying. Talking about how she was training to do it? With what? A bit of cardio and weights, I do just as much exercise. ‘I’ve been training for five years to slay vampires,’ girl you carry a bit of sharpened wood around and you haven’t even seen a freaking vampire in that time. Training how? It’s not like you have a Giles. So no on the Giles but a yes on an Ethan, Parker, Xander and a Willow. Seriously, how many character names was filched from Buffy?
Also, the vampirism doesn’t make sense. Only if a vampire drinks your blood can you turn, not if you bleed out. A vampire drinking your blood is an external factor, why shouldn’t bleeding out turn you? If it said something like there is a venom exchange through the draining process it would make sense but no turning catalyst was mentioned.
Ava’s never done a real trick on purpose yet is comparable to people who have trained months if not years for this. Hate that. The reasons given later in the story do not justify, innate talent is not equivalent to years (centuries) of practice.
My rage goes on from there but they were my main points.
I hated this book and here’s why.
So, not into the woe is me storyline. I thought at first it would be interesting because I have never read a fantasy with a foster child as a main character. This girl then, literally complains because her kind foster -whatever- Deb, bought her clothes. The thought process for that was ‘well Deb gets money for me and like others didn’t she didn’t have to spend the money on me.’ So, I’m asking is she upset because other people didn’t spend the fostering money on her or because Deb did? That becomes irrelevant because it’s well established that Ava is 18.5yrs. Foster money stops at 18, Deb is willingly spending her own money (as a single mother) to help Ava feel comfortable and the response is that she won’t even thank Deb because that would give too much power to her. Ok, cool, love that for you, you vapid ‘pick me’ girl.
The temper tantrum over her brother not being dependent on her. Ava complains about heating him up leftover spaghetti for dinner, how the hell did she think she’d be able adopt him and meet that kids needs when heating up dinner for thirty seconds in the microwave was too much effort? And it was made mention that she had to save all her money to buy him one piece of pizza once a year for his birthday, tell me how she was meant to keep a roof over their heads. Also, don’t even get me started on how she uses him for a security blanket and that nonsense with the birthday party. Let the poor kid have a party for the first time in his sad life.
I can accept, just, that maybe Ava is pushing Deb (and all that surrounds her) away because she’s too scared to be comfortable for fear of it being torn away from either her or her brother, a defence mechanism for being in the foster system, type response, if it wasn’t for the…
Instalove. Haven’t even really spoken to Xander and Ava’s freaking out because he was standing with Aristelle. Girl, that’s so many shades of red flag I can’t even begin to list them. This is not the behaviour of someone pushing people away for fear of loss. That shit with Xander being her prince and her treating Roman like shit because of his little secrete. She had known them both for about three weeks, Roman had a reason, Xander was a manipulative arsehole, yet who did she forgive first??? Not the dude trying to keep her alive. But this was a common theme right through, she was a bitch to the people who was kind to her and was forgiving to the scum. Drove me mad.
The vampire slaying. Talking about how she was training to do it? With what? A bit of cardio and weights, I do just as much exercise. ‘I’ve been training for five years to slay vampires,’ girl you carry a bit of sharpened wood around and you haven’t even seen a freaking vampire in that time. Training how? It’s not like you have a Giles. So no on the Giles but a yes on an Ethan, Parker, Xander and a Willow. Seriously, how many character names was filched from Buffy?
Also, the vampirism doesn’t make sense. Only if a vampire drinks your blood can you turn, not if you bleed out. A vampire drinking your blood is an external factor, why shouldn’t bleeding out turn you? If it said something like there is a venom exchange through the draining process it would make sense but no turning catalyst was mentioned.
Ava’s never done a real trick on purpose yet is comparable to people who have trained months if not years for this. Hate that. The reasons given later in the story do not justify, innate talent is not equivalent to years (centuries) of practice.
My rage goes on from there but they were my main points.
June 27, 2023
3.5⭐️ the idea of vampires and magicians? Yes, please, but I feel the execution was a little flat for me. The first 2/3 of the book, I struggled to concentrate, but the last third delivered the HEA feels that I needed. Roman? Here for him all day ☺️ The characters, I felt, were very strong.
November 19, 2022
This was an incredible read, perfect for those darker nights that are drawing in. The world building was fantastic, the characters were very well developed and the magic system was INCREDIBLE. This book held me in its beautiful talons right up until the end, and my attention never wavered once. Any book that has vampires and magic in it is always a hit with me, and this baby was no exception to that rule. If you’re looking for a great YA read to finish off the year then definitely pick this one!
Thank you to Hodderscape for sending me a copy of this one.
Thank you to Hodderscape for sending me a copy of this one.
November 9, 2022
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Content warnings as listed on the author's website: Violence, gore, knife use, gun use, death of parent, depictions of both positive and negative experiences relating to foster care, domestic abuse in a character backstory, death of a sibling in a character backstory, assault (nonsexual).
Thanks to the publisher for an free digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Is it dumb for me to say that I thought there would be *more* vampires? I mean... Yes, they are there and they exist but to me they felt a little bit more in the background than anything.
Anyway, I felt a little fed up with Ava and I think this contributed to why it took me so long to finish this book. I didn't feel wholly connected and I was done with the little pity party Ava continued to throw for herself. This book does contain the "found family" trope though, and I think Ava finds that in more ways than one. Sometimes I felt like Ava's brother, Parker, whom she had a lot of affection for, was mentioned at times when it was only convenient as a way to remind the audience that Ava has something else for her back home. I liked the idea of the secret society as well, but the fact that everything really was an illusion just made the ending rather lackluster. Tbh, I'm not sure I would have been as forgiving as Ava was toward the end, especially toward those who lied to her.
This book gets dark and gritty, and it's also very action-packed but I also thought it seemed a bit all over the place in some areas. The "competition" seemed kind of scattered with no real steps and rather just a "fend for yourself" aspect. Granted, you didn't feel any real connection with most of the other competitors so I guess that's that for you. I did like how Ava's magic manifested, and there were a lot of things that were upended toward the final chapters of the book, lots of big revelations as well. I could sort of see this book having a sequel but to be honest, I think it ended well enough.
I liked the writing well enough, but I'm goign to reiterate the whole "I thought there would be more vampires." Yes, they're there and they exist and play a role but maybe I just feel this way because I thought the main character would spend more time killing them, LOL.
Content warnings as listed on the author's website: Violence, gore, knife use, gun use, death of parent, depictions of both positive and negative experiences relating to foster care, domestic abuse in a character backstory, death of a sibling in a character backstory, assault (nonsexual).
Thanks to the publisher for an free digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Is it dumb for me to say that I thought there would be *more* vampires? I mean... Yes, they are there and they exist but to me they felt a little bit more in the background than anything.
Anyway, I felt a little fed up with Ava and I think this contributed to why it took me so long to finish this book. I didn't feel wholly connected and I was done with the little pity party Ava continued to throw for herself. This book does contain the "found family" trope though, and I think Ava finds that in more ways than one. Sometimes I felt like Ava's brother, Parker, whom she had a lot of affection for, was mentioned at times when it was only convenient as a way to remind the audience that Ava has something else for her back home. I liked the idea of the secret society as well, but the fact that everything really was an illusion just made the ending rather lackluster. Tbh, I'm not sure I would have been as forgiving as Ava was toward the end, especially toward those who lied to her.
This book gets dark and gritty, and it's also very action-packed but I also thought it seemed a bit all over the place in some areas. The "competition" seemed kind of scattered with no real steps and rather just a "fend for yourself" aspect. Granted, you didn't feel any real connection with most of the other competitors so I guess that's that for you. I did like how Ava's magic manifested, and there were a lot of things that were upended toward the final chapters of the book, lots of big revelations as well. I could sort of see this book having a sequel but to be honest, I think it ended well enough.
I liked the writing well enough, but I'm goign to reiterate the whole "I thought there would be more vampires." Yes, they're there and they exist and play a role but maybe I just feel this way because I thought the main character would spend more time killing them, LOL.
January 14, 2023
roman <3 that’s all i have to say
April 16, 2023
The pure confusion I experienced when I realised that this book is technically same universe as the authors other book I read?? I was like waittttt cool!
The MC annoyed me for a good chunk of the beginning she was so “not like other girls” it got irritating…but thankfully it did get better in the second half, it shouldn’t take 50% of a book to get better but I’m glad I stuck with it because it was fun ! I really adored it by the end! If you’re thinking of DNF’ing stick with it!
I wish the book really chose what it wanted to be a lot sooner as it felt like the author was trying to achieve too many things in just one book that the plot was quite off pace hence it taking 50% to get worth reading!! The story reallt got going by the 75% mark and i feel like it would have paid off better to be a duology rather than a standalone? So the 2nd half of the story had more time to be fleshed out and the whole competition hunger games thing coulda been even more and the fast paced ending coulda been longer, I did enjoy the amount of blood and gore in this book a lot it was cool af!
Anyway I did have a really fun time with the lore and Roman was dreamyyyyy (the references to other vampire media make me wonder if he’s named after Hemlock Grove’s Roman ♡) so I’m giving it 4* because I AM a sucker for vampires and the second half really pulled everything together!
The MC annoyed me for a good chunk of the beginning she was so “not like other girls” it got irritating…but thankfully it did get better in the second half, it shouldn’t take 50% of a book to get better but I’m glad I stuck with it because it was fun ! I really adored it by the end! If you’re thinking of DNF’ing stick with it!
I wish the book really chose what it wanted to be a lot sooner as it felt like the author was trying to achieve too many things in just one book that the plot was quite off pace hence it taking 50% to get worth reading!! The story reallt got going by the 75% mark and i feel like it would have paid off better to be a duology rather than a standalone? So the 2nd half of the story had more time to be fleshed out and the whole competition hunger games thing coulda been even more and the fast paced ending coulda been longer, I did enjoy the amount of blood and gore in this book a lot it was cool af!
Anyway I did have a really fun time with the lore and Roman was dreamyyyyy (the references to other vampire media make me wonder if he’s named after Hemlock Grove’s Roman ♡) so I’m giving it 4* because I AM a sucker for vampires and the second half really pulled everything together!
March 12, 2023
“I want it all: revenge, magic, power.”
Well, well, well, wasn't this a delicious piece of dark fantasy if I ever saw one. It's almost a twisted fairytale. Full of magic, secrets, betrayals, vampires, secret societies, revenge, and a magical competition... but with a twist. Fans of The Night Circus and Caraval will eat this up.
"This place is one giant illusion. This place is magic. There are no rules for what’s possible or not."
The worldbuilding was fantastic. It definitely gave off The Night Circus and Caraval vibes and I loved the spectacle of that. Margie Fuston creates a lush, breathtaking, fantastical world where magic is alive and it is impossible to distinguish between illusion and reality.
"Sometimes if you live in an illusion long enough, it becomes reality."
I loved the character growth Ava underwent here. She starts out so broken after going through the trauma of her mother's death and growing up in the system while looking out for her younger brother. She carries these burdens with her at all times and seals herself off from those who could hurt her. Throughout the book we get to watch her break down her walls and love again while forming a new family of her choosing.
"I’m a liar. Just like he is. Just like everyone here is."
This book pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. The perfect dark fantasy full of twists and turns you never see coming.
Well, well, well, wasn't this a delicious piece of dark fantasy if I ever saw one. It's almost a twisted fairytale. Full of magic, secrets, betrayals, vampires, secret societies, revenge, and a magical competition... but with a twist. Fans of The Night Circus and Caraval will eat this up.
"This place is one giant illusion. This place is magic. There are no rules for what’s possible or not."
The worldbuilding was fantastic. It definitely gave off The Night Circus and Caraval vibes and I loved the spectacle of that. Margie Fuston creates a lush, breathtaking, fantastical world where magic is alive and it is impossible to distinguish between illusion and reality.
"Sometimes if you live in an illusion long enough, it becomes reality."
I loved the character growth Ava underwent here. She starts out so broken after going through the trauma of her mother's death and growing up in the system while looking out for her younger brother. She carries these burdens with her at all times and seals herself off from those who could hurt her. Throughout the book we get to watch her break down her walls and love again while forming a new family of her choosing.
"I’m a liar. Just like he is. Just like everyone here is."
This book pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. The perfect dark fantasy full of twists and turns you never see coming.
October 14, 2022
This was the perfect vampire book for spooky season! It has everything from magic shows to vampire hunting to deadly magical competitions, and of course lots of blood. It follows Ava, an orphan living in the foster system who has trained herself to hunt vampires in order to get revenge against the one who killed her mother. Her parents were both stage magicians and she shares their love of magic and likes to perform coin tricks. When she finds a secret magic show she realizes she’s capable of much more than illusions, and there’s so much she doesn’t know about herself and about the world of magic and vampires.
This book kept my attention the entire time and I loved how magic and vampires were combined. I loved all of the twists and betrayals - there were some predictable moments but plenty of surprises. It was actually pretty brutal and violent at times. There was also a love triangle which I thought was done pretty well, I loved one of the love interests but I won’t spoil which one. There were things about the ending that weren’t 100% to my liking, but ultimately I was satisfied. I would have loved for this to be a series, overall a really great YA read!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book kept my attention the entire time and I loved how magic and vampires were combined. I loved all of the twists and betrayals - there were some predictable moments but plenty of surprises. It was actually pretty brutal and violent at times. There was also a love triangle which I thought was done pretty well, I loved one of the love interests but I won’t spoil which one. There were things about the ending that weren’t 100% to my liking, but ultimately I was satisfied. I would have loved for this to be a series, overall a really great YA read!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2023
2023 is going to be my year for DNFing. This book is over 500 pages long and I just cannot bring myself to finish it, when I am already over halfway-through and still bored. 3 stars because I can definitely see the appeal (it is a very tropey YA book) it is not me.
March 24, 2023
I don’t know what to say…
Except not in a good way.
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️.5/5
𝙀𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩: 🫶🫶/5
𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚:💕.6/5
𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩: 📖📖📖/5
𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜:📝📝.8/5
I feel like after going through reviews that this is an unpopular opinion.
But if you’re a cruel illusions fan, please hear me out before you start attacking me.
Here’s the thing, I didn’t enjoy this book. At all. At times I didn’t want to pick it up and I considered DNFing more times than I can count.
I wanted to participate in the Fairyloot readalong but I didn’t have the time, and I’m kind of glad because going through the comments there it seems like I’m the only one who didn’t like this.
𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 🫂
The side characters weren’t for me at all. Usually my favourite characters are side characters, but here?? I don’t think I had a favourite character. Aristelle?? Why 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 I care about her again??
And the love interests didnt do anything to make me like them. Like zero butterflies or giggling or kicking my feet. No.
Xander was just plain annoying. And idc I HATED his green hair. bleh I kept on imagining him as like a piece of broccoli with a smiley face except like a kid broccoli who was trying to act like an adult broccoli. I’ll shut up now about broccoli. Basically Xander didn’t seem like a smooth talker. Just an annoying person.
Roman?? I think he was meant to be a ‘brooding’, ‘cool’ love interest. He didn’t serve. AT ALL. Just plain emo AND annoying.
Lastly our main character. AVA. I wanted to whack her, throw tomatoes at her, the whole thing. She just kept on pissing me off again AND again AND AGAIN. she did nothing to make me root for her. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
In the beginning when she was complaining about her room not being a nice colour and how people always expect kids to be grateful?? uhm I would too. I’m not wasting my time with an ungrateful child who acts like they know everything. (That’s Ava).
When Deb (the foster mom), in the beginning bought Ava new clothes, AS A KIND GESTURE, Ava acted like such a bitch.
And I hate Ava’s brother. Again idc.
𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 💓
I felt no chemistry. I alr mentioned this, but there was nothing. I didn’t feel anything between Xander and Ava, other than that she kept on blushing OVER and OVER and OVER again until I wanted to punch her, and I personally didn’t feel anything between Roman and Ava either.
It all felt so…forced…
𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩 📄
I don’t want this review to have spoilers (so I havnt mentioned who she ends up with)
So I’m just gonna say the plot was boring. The magic system felt cheap. I don’t know how else to put it.
That’s it.
Edit 24/3/23: I think I was kind with the two stars…
Except not in a good way.
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️.5/5
𝙀𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩: 🫶🫶/5
𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚:💕.6/5
𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩: 📖📖📖/5
𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜:📝📝.8/5
I feel like after going through reviews that this is an unpopular opinion.
But if you’re a cruel illusions fan, please hear me out before you start attacking me.
Here’s the thing, I didn’t enjoy this book. At all. At times I didn’t want to pick it up and I considered DNFing more times than I can count.
I wanted to participate in the Fairyloot readalong but I didn’t have the time, and I’m kind of glad because going through the comments there it seems like I’m the only one who didn’t like this.
𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 🫂
The side characters weren’t for me at all. Usually my favourite characters are side characters, but here?? I don’t think I had a favourite character. Aristelle?? Why 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 I care about her again??
And the love interests didnt do anything to make me like them. Like zero butterflies or giggling or kicking my feet. No.
Xander was just plain annoying. And idc I HATED his green hair. bleh I kept on imagining him as like a piece of broccoli with a smiley face except like a kid broccoli who was trying to act like an adult broccoli. I’ll shut up now about broccoli. Basically Xander didn’t seem like a smooth talker. Just an annoying person.
Roman?? I think he was meant to be a ‘brooding’, ‘cool’ love interest. He didn’t serve. AT ALL. Just plain emo AND annoying.
Lastly our main character. AVA. I wanted to whack her, throw tomatoes at her, the whole thing. She just kept on pissing me off again AND again AND AGAIN. she did nothing to make me root for her. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
In the beginning when she was complaining about her room not being a nice colour and how people always expect kids to be grateful?? uhm I would too. I’m not wasting my time with an ungrateful child who acts like they know everything. (That’s Ava).
When Deb (the foster mom), in the beginning bought Ava new clothes, AS A KIND GESTURE, Ava acted like such a bitch.
And I hate Ava’s brother. Again idc.
𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 💓
I felt no chemistry. I alr mentioned this, but there was nothing. I didn’t feel anything between Xander and Ava, other than that she kept on blushing OVER and OVER and OVER again until I wanted to punch her, and I personally didn’t feel anything between Roman and Ava either.
It all felt so…forced…
𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩 📄
I don’t want this review to have spoilers (so I havnt mentioned who she ends up with)
So I’m just gonna say the plot was boring. The magic system felt cheap. I don’t know how else to put it.
That’s it.
Edit 24/3/23: I think I was kind with the two stars…
November 18, 2022
Cruel Illusions is a standalone paranormal debut I adore so much. The world give us interesting blended atmosphere between secret magic society, deadly magic competition and vampires hunting. The story it self following young orphan Ava who struggles to fit into each foster homes for years. Ava determined to get revenge to Vampire who killed her mother and personal closures. When a magician's troupe offered answer of her life mystery with bloody magic competition, she finally found her place.
Her imperfect character and the potential intriguing me. Her emotions struggles and actions seem real. I love to see that sometime new skills is hard to earned and the process is overwhelmed. She makes mistakes, alot and she always tried do her best at each bad conditions.
The writing is good. I personally love scenes about illusion performance. It is so vivid and brimming with intriguing details. The slow burn romance is satisfying for a standalone. Enough chemistry and tension to make us believe. I expecially enjoyed story part about family strength and build friendships into healthy competition.
Thank you Netgalley and Hooder & Stoughton for provided my copy. My thoughts are my own.
Her imperfect character and the potential intriguing me. Her emotions struggles and actions seem real. I love to see that sometime new skills is hard to earned and the process is overwhelmed. She makes mistakes, alot and she always tried do her best at each bad conditions.
The writing is good. I personally love scenes about illusion performance. It is so vivid and brimming with intriguing details. The slow burn romance is satisfying for a standalone. Enough chemistry and tension to make us believe. I expecially enjoyed story part about family strength and build friendships into healthy competition.
Thank you Netgalley and Hooder & Stoughton for provided my copy. My thoughts are my own.
January 31, 2023
This totally was a cover buy and I am not ashamed. Look at it, stunning, gorgeous! Ok, I'm done. I enjoyed this read so much. It's centered around Magicians but add Vampires and this book is what you get. I liked the competition element of the story way more than I thought I would. Ava is a kickass character. She is a product of her trauma but she grows and learns and I liked seeing her progress. Roman, omg, Roman. He is everything, just everything. I am so glad I found this book. I enjoyed it so much. I actually wished there would be more books in this world.
April 24, 2023
I want to start this review by addressing what other people are saying about this book. First, it is a young adult book and was marketed as such. This book is not steamy, it is not smutty. The most that happens is a bit of kissing. Expecting more from a young adult book seems like you weren’t actually expecting to read a young adult book. The sexiest moment of this story was when Aristelle and Xander did their dance together. That’s as spicy as it gets, people.
Second, I saw a lot of people felt the side characters weren’t likable or that there wasn’t enough supporting evidence that we should care about them. I strongly disagree with that point, as I felt like I got to know the side characters well enough to consider their well being and thoughts throughout the book. I felt like I found that I cared about their stories, especially Diantha and Reina. I felt they had a lot to offer the story and had some pretty badass moments, too. Aristelle was a bitch but that’s her character in a nutshell.
Lastly, some people said this book was too simple. I disagree. I found the novel to be appropriate for the age group, with enough complexity to be interesting. There were several moments with plot twists and surprises and I think they propelled the story forward. Overall, I felt this story was appropriate for the age group it was marketed towards.
As far my own personal review, I adored this story and was raving to my friends about it since the first day I read it. I was about 70 pages in and going off to my friend for 8 minutes straight about it. Right from the start, there were some really interesting lines that stuck out to me and pulled me in. I liked that the author gave metaphors and intriguing comparisons without super flowery language. To me that felt like a good way to keep the punches packed right. For example, Ava isn’t a flowery, soft spoken girl. She’s direct and to the point and she’s going to play her cards precisely. It made sense that the writing reflected that.
I felt like I really enjoyed how Fuston brought things full circle. For example I really enjoyed how she brought up Ava’s issues with the foster system multiple times throughout the book, which really brought the point across that she’s been through some shit without getting too traumatic when describing it. I also really enjoyed all the loose ends being tied up the way they were- it was a very satisfying ending, though I was hoping for something that suggested a second book.
I enjoyed the love triangle, even though it was clear who she really was going to choose from the start. I enjoyed getting to know both love interests, and I think they both had interesting stories and motivations.
The betrayals in this story hit hard. I felt like I was experiencing exactly was Ava was feeling with each betrayal.
I adored the side characters. I was genuinely surprised with Stacie’s arc. I was appreciative of getting to know all the side characters, especially my beautiful lesbian couple, Reina and Diantha. Anyone who says they didn’t care about them didn’t read the book properly. Their stories were very interesting and kept me motivated to continue the story. I appreciated their badass moments, especially with the woman on the date and in some of the very end chapters.
I can’t write a review without talking about Xander and Roman. Oh how I loved these men. I loved Xander’s spunk and I loved how stoic and wide eyed Roman could be. The amount of times this man’s eyes widened at Ava in shock was comical and very sweet. I also appreciated that this story could have been good even if Ava didn’t end up with anyone romantically due to the (sort of) found family she gained along the way, as well as her actual family with Parker and the foster family.
All in all, this was a fast favorite and a beautiful five star read for me. Based on the cover alone, I had been anticipating this story to be incredible and I was quickly proven right. I will be rereading this story in the future as well as anything else Margie Fuston writes in the future.
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Graphic: Grief, Death, Injury/injury detail, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Vomit, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Toxic friendship and Abandonment
There’s a brief mention where it’s suggested a man is attempting to take advantage of a woman sexually but the attempt is stopped.
Second, I saw a lot of people felt the side characters weren’t likable or that there wasn’t enough supporting evidence that we should care about them. I strongly disagree with that point, as I felt like I got to know the side characters well enough to consider their well being and thoughts throughout the book. I felt like I found that I cared about their stories, especially Diantha and Reina. I felt they had a lot to offer the story and had some pretty badass moments, too. Aristelle was a bitch but that’s her character in a nutshell.
Lastly, some people said this book was too simple. I disagree. I found the novel to be appropriate for the age group, with enough complexity to be interesting. There were several moments with plot twists and surprises and I think they propelled the story forward. Overall, I felt this story was appropriate for the age group it was marketed towards.
As far my own personal review, I adored this story and was raving to my friends about it since the first day I read it. I was about 70 pages in and going off to my friend for 8 minutes straight about it. Right from the start, there were some really interesting lines that stuck out to me and pulled me in. I liked that the author gave metaphors and intriguing comparisons without super flowery language. To me that felt like a good way to keep the punches packed right. For example, Ava isn’t a flowery, soft spoken girl. She’s direct and to the point and she’s going to play her cards precisely. It made sense that the writing reflected that.
I felt like I really enjoyed how Fuston brought things full circle. For example I really enjoyed how she brought up Ava’s issues with the foster system multiple times throughout the book, which really brought the point across that she’s been through some shit without getting too traumatic when describing it. I also really enjoyed all the loose ends being tied up the way they were- it was a very satisfying ending, though I was hoping for something that suggested a second book.
I enjoyed the love triangle, even though it was clear who she really was going to choose from the start. I enjoyed getting to know both love interests, and I think they both had interesting stories and motivations.
The betrayals in this story hit hard. I felt like I was experiencing exactly was Ava was feeling with each betrayal.
I adored the side characters. I was genuinely surprised with Stacie’s arc. I was appreciative of getting to know all the side characters, especially my beautiful lesbian couple, Reina and Diantha. Anyone who says they didn’t care about them didn’t read the book properly. Their stories were very interesting and kept me motivated to continue the story. I appreciated their badass moments, especially with the woman on the date and in some of the very end chapters.
I can’t write a review without talking about Xander and Roman. Oh how I loved these men. I loved Xander’s spunk and I loved how stoic and wide eyed Roman could be. The amount of times this man’s eyes widened at Ava in shock was comical and very sweet. I also appreciated that this story could have been good even if Ava didn’t end up with anyone romantically due to the (sort of) found family she gained along the way, as well as her actual family with Parker and the foster family.
All in all, this was a fast favorite and a beautiful five star read for me. Based on the cover alone, I had been anticipating this story to be incredible and I was quickly proven right. I will be rereading this story in the future as well as anything else Margie Fuston writes in the future.
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Graphic: Grief, Death, Injury/injury detail, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Vomit, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Toxic friendship and Abandonment
There’s a brief mention where it’s suggested a man is attempting to take advantage of a woman sexually but the attempt is stopped.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2023
Partiamo da un presupposto: dire che il libro non mi è piaciuto è un eufemismo. Credo di aver sbuffato per 503 pagine su 503.
Quindi leggete questa recensione con la consapevolezza che:
1 non mi è piaciuto (nulla per nulla)
2 se vi è piaciuto non leggete la recesione, perché io odio farlo di solito, quindi evitate, ve lo dico con il cuore
3 non mi è piaciuto = scrivere le recensioni per far capire come mai, non lo so, ma è quasi più soddisfacente
- mi sembra ovvio dirlo, ma meglio essere chiari: è la mia opinione personale in base alla mia esperienza negativa di lettura quindi non offendetevi, se non vi piace leggerla, saltate, bloccatemi, fate vobis insomma-
Detto questo possiamo continuare.
Nonostante il libro no mi sia piaciuto - è non è quel non mi è piaciuto, meh, NON MI E' PROPRIO PIACIUTO NULLA - le premesse erano interessanti, solo che per me la resa, appunto, big no. Interessanti perché appunto si parla di: vampiri, cacciatori di vampiri, poteri, atmosfere con le giuste vibes e vendetta. Capite che da tutto questo, anche se poco, poteva venire una grande cosa?
Cose che non mi sono piaciute (tutto):
1 ) Tutto il libro gira attorno a un'idea, anzi, una frase "lo faccio per la mia mamma" "questo è per la mia mamma", che viene ripetuta una cosa come duecento volte, come se alla seconda non lo avessimo capito. Per il resto, direte, questo poteva essere il momento di massimo del libro, la vendetta, un sentimento così mitologico e antico ... ... ... ... (grande sospiro)
2 ) ho trovato la narrativa non confusionaria ma proprio insipida per i miei gusti, sì, vabbene, allenarsi con il potere, giustissimo, molto meglio così che quando scoprono di avere i poteri e il giorno dopo salvano qualcosa, ma il tutto è davvero noioso
3 ) la ship bho, sta là, tipo tappeto per asciugarsi le scarpe per entrare in casa quando piove, solo che non piove e te vai in giro senza ...
Posso continuare in eterno, perché sono stupita, perché per me è raro trovare un libro per cui non apprezzo quasi nulla!
Se devo essere sincera al 100% ho parzialmente apprezzato il plottwist verso la fine. Non posso dire a cosa fa riferimento ma, vista il piattume su cui stava andando avanti la storia, non mi aspettavo una cosa del genere ... sono rimasta stupita da una cosa così seplice che quest'anno ho già letto in tipo ... tre libri ...
Direi di finirla qua :)
Read
April 17, 2023i thoroughly enjoyed this book. especially the second half, twists and betrayals i did not see coming at all.
November 4, 2022
Italian review (the English one below)
3.75 stelline arrotondate a 4
Cruel Illusion è stata la perfetta lettura per il periodo di Halloween! In questo libro non mancano i vampiri, un maestoso circo, mille spettacoli e tantissima magia!
La storia parla di Ava, una giovane donna che ha trascorso gli ultimi anni in famiglie affidatarie dopo che sua madre è stata uccisa dai vampiri, anche se solo lei lo crede. A diciassette anni, viene accolta da una famiglia in cui suo fratello si adatta perfettamente, e si imbatte in uno spettacolo di magia che sembra troppo bello per essere reale. Infatti quella magia è reale!
Presa come apprendista e sedotta dal giovane Xander, accetta di unirsi a loro nella competizione dei maghi e spera di guadagnare la possibilità di diventare parte della troupe per saperne di più su sua madre e vendicarsi dei vampiri che l'hanno uccisa.
Leggendo questo libro mi sono sentito parte di uno spettacolo, come se fossi letteralmente sotto il tendone del circo ad assistere a spettacolari magie e lotte contro i vampiri. Il sistema magico è una delle cose che ho apprezzato di più, così come la scrittura.
Inoltre ho amato il fatto che parlasse di vampiri e incorporasse queste figure anche al tema della magia e del circo… un’unione veramente unica e mai vista, ma ben riuscita!
Parlando della componete romance c’è un triangolo amoroso ma non mi è risultato pesante o cringe, anzi devo dire che il romance è riuscito molto bene ma in questo libro ha veramente poco spazio quindi non spettatevi un libro interamente romance.
Passando invece alle cose che mi hanno fatto abbassare un po' la valutazione, ho trovato il libro un po' troppo lungo e pesante (sono 520 pagine), capisco che essendo uno standalone la storia si sviluppa tutta nel libro, ma secondo me alcune parti potevano essere più brevi. Un’altra pecca del romanzo è la prevedibilità… ci sono moltissimi plot twists ma la maggior parte sono veramente prevedibili, così come gran parte della trama.
Riassumendo, Cruel Illusion è un libro che vi consiglio se siete nel mood di leggere un libro non troppo elaborato e abbastanza prevedibile ma pieno di magia, spettacoli circensi, vampiri e con un romance carino!
Grazie a Netgalley, Hodder&Stoughton e Margie Fuston per avermi fornito questo libro in anteprima in cambio di una recensione onesta.
-----------------------------
English Review
3.75 stars rounded to 4
Cruel Illusion was the perfect Halloween read! In this book there is everything from vampires, a majestic circus, a thousand shows and a lot of magic!
The story is about Ava, a young woman who spent the last few years in foster families after her mother was killed by vampires, even if only she believes it. At seventeen, she is greeted by a family that her brother fits in perfectly, and stumbles upon a magic show that seems too good to be real. And that magic is real!
Taken in as their apprentice, and beguiled by the young man Xander, she agrees to join them at the competition of magicians that year and hopes to earn the chance to become part of the trope to learn more about her mother and take revenge on the vampires who killed her.
While reading this book I felt part of a show, as if I were literally under the circus tent to witness spectacular magic and vampire fights. The magic system is one of the things I enjoyed the most, as is the writing.
I also loved the fact that Cruel Illusion talked about vampires and also incorporated these figures into the theme of magic and the circus ... a truly unique and never-seen-before union, but very successful!
Speaking in terms of romance, there is a love triangle but it was not heavy or cringe for me, indeed I must say that the romance was very successful but in this book it has very little space so do not expect an entirely romance book.
Turning instead to the things that made me lower my rating a little, I found the book a bit too long and boring (it's 520 pages), I understand that being a standalone the story develops all in the book, but in my opinion some parts they could be shorter. Another flaw of the novel is predictability ... there are a lot of plot twists but most of them are really predictable, as is much of the plot.
To sum up, Cruel Illusion is a book that I recommend if you are in the mood to read a book that is not too elaborate and quite predictable but full of magic, circus shows, vampires and with a cute romance!
Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Margie Fuston for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stelline arrotondate a 4
Cruel Illusion è stata la perfetta lettura per il periodo di Halloween! In questo libro non mancano i vampiri, un maestoso circo, mille spettacoli e tantissima magia!
La storia parla di Ava, una giovane donna che ha trascorso gli ultimi anni in famiglie affidatarie dopo che sua madre è stata uccisa dai vampiri, anche se solo lei lo crede. A diciassette anni, viene accolta da una famiglia in cui suo fratello si adatta perfettamente, e si imbatte in uno spettacolo di magia che sembra troppo bello per essere reale. Infatti quella magia è reale!
Presa come apprendista e sedotta dal giovane Xander, accetta di unirsi a loro nella competizione dei maghi e spera di guadagnare la possibilità di diventare parte della troupe per saperne di più su sua madre e vendicarsi dei vampiri che l'hanno uccisa.
Leggendo questo libro mi sono sentito parte di uno spettacolo, come se fossi letteralmente sotto il tendone del circo ad assistere a spettacolari magie e lotte contro i vampiri. Il sistema magico è una delle cose che ho apprezzato di più, così come la scrittura.
Inoltre ho amato il fatto che parlasse di vampiri e incorporasse queste figure anche al tema della magia e del circo… un’unione veramente unica e mai vista, ma ben riuscita!
Parlando della componete romance c’è un triangolo amoroso ma non mi è risultato pesante o cringe, anzi devo dire che il romance è riuscito molto bene ma in questo libro ha veramente poco spazio quindi non spettatevi un libro interamente romance.
Passando invece alle cose che mi hanno fatto abbassare un po' la valutazione, ho trovato il libro un po' troppo lungo e pesante (sono 520 pagine), capisco che essendo uno standalone la storia si sviluppa tutta nel libro, ma secondo me alcune parti potevano essere più brevi. Un’altra pecca del romanzo è la prevedibilità… ci sono moltissimi plot twists ma la maggior parte sono veramente prevedibili, così come gran parte della trama.
Riassumendo, Cruel Illusion è un libro che vi consiglio se siete nel mood di leggere un libro non troppo elaborato e abbastanza prevedibile ma pieno di magia, spettacoli circensi, vampiri e con un romance carino!
Grazie a Netgalley, Hodder&Stoughton e Margie Fuston per avermi fornito questo libro in anteprima in cambio di una recensione onesta.
-----------------------------
English Review
3.75 stars rounded to 4
Cruel Illusion was the perfect Halloween read! In this book there is everything from vampires, a majestic circus, a thousand shows and a lot of magic!
The story is about Ava, a young woman who spent the last few years in foster families after her mother was killed by vampires, even if only she believes it. At seventeen, she is greeted by a family that her brother fits in perfectly, and stumbles upon a magic show that seems too good to be real. And that magic is real!
Taken in as their apprentice, and beguiled by the young man Xander, she agrees to join them at the competition of magicians that year and hopes to earn the chance to become part of the trope to learn more about her mother and take revenge on the vampires who killed her.
While reading this book I felt part of a show, as if I were literally under the circus tent to witness spectacular magic and vampire fights. The magic system is one of the things I enjoyed the most, as is the writing.
I also loved the fact that Cruel Illusion talked about vampires and also incorporated these figures into the theme of magic and the circus ... a truly unique and never-seen-before union, but very successful!
Speaking in terms of romance, there is a love triangle but it was not heavy or cringe for me, indeed I must say that the romance was very successful but in this book it has very little space so do not expect an entirely romance book.
Turning instead to the things that made me lower my rating a little, I found the book a bit too long and boring (it's 520 pages), I understand that being a standalone the story develops all in the book, but in my opinion some parts they could be shorter. Another flaw of the novel is predictability ... there are a lot of plot twists but most of them are really predictable, as is much of the plot.
To sum up, Cruel Illusion is a book that I recommend if you are in the mood to read a book that is not too elaborate and quite predictable but full of magic, circus shows, vampires and with a cute romance!
Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Margie Fuston for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2023
1.5⭐️
Quiero darle una estrella porque no me ha gustado lo más mínimo, pero ya que he hecho el esfuerzo de terminarlo le voy a dar 1.5.
No lo he disfrutado, ni lo más mínimo. Coger el libro era casi un suplicio y más de una vez he pensado en hacer DNF, venderlo y olvidarme del tema.
Voy a intentar ser objetiva con todo, así que valoremos:
Los personajes… No he sentido conexión con ninguno, NINGUNO.
Ava: la que 𝗻𝗢 𝗘𝘀 𝗰𝗢𝗠𝗼 𝗹𝗔𝗦 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗔́𝗦… ¿necesito decir algo más? Realmente insufrible este personaje. Todo lo que hacía, todo lo que pensaba, su propia presencia me sacaba de quicio. No ha habido nada que me haya hecho empatizar con ella, me daba absolutamente igual que fuese huérfana y que se sintiese sola en el mundo y que buscase una familia… una pereza de persona.
Y ya no solo eso, también una absoluta pick me desagradecida¿? Literal que en el primer capitulo su “madre de acogida” le compra ropa como un gesto amable, y la chavala esta actua como una p€rra, quejándose de que la gente espera que sea agradecida con sus familias de acogida por salvarle la vida… a ver amiga, la cosa no es así, no te montes películas.
Luego Roman, uff se supone que tenia que ser el interés romántico así un poco grumpy, que no quiere acercarse a la protagonista y yo sinceramente me he cansado demasiado rapido de su papelito de Edward Cullen, y es que LITERAL ES EDWARD CULLEN 2.0 al principio de crepúsculo, solo que mucho más insufrible.
El resto de personajes ni me molesto en comentarlos, todos pasan por el libro sin pena ni gloria.
En cuanto a la trama… ABURRIDA. Siento que ha querido juntar todos los vampiros de la cultura pop (crepúsculo, Buffy, crónicas vampíricas) mezclado con toques mágicos e ilusionistas, pero el resultado ha sido un libro sobrecargado de elementos con esa sensación de estar leyendo cosas que ya has visto antes. El típico been there/ done that.
El guión de la historia… sin orden ni concierto. Cada dos por tres te iban soltando revelaciones que lejos de soprenderme me dejaban en plan WTFFFF¿? Esto lo tenia planeado la autora¿? O acaba de improvisar y se le acaba de ocurrir¿?
La fantasía y el sistema de magia me han parecido simples, 0 elaborados y nada que no haya leído antes.
Nada más que añadir, salvo que no me ha gustado. Y 500 paginas nunca se me habían hecho TAN LARGAS.
Quiero darle una estrella porque no me ha gustado lo más mínimo, pero ya que he hecho el esfuerzo de terminarlo le voy a dar 1.5.
No lo he disfrutado, ni lo más mínimo. Coger el libro era casi un suplicio y más de una vez he pensado en hacer DNF, venderlo y olvidarme del tema.
Voy a intentar ser objetiva con todo, así que valoremos:
Los personajes… No he sentido conexión con ninguno, NINGUNO.
Ava: la que 𝗻𝗢 𝗘𝘀 𝗰𝗢𝗠𝗼 𝗹𝗔𝗦 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗔́𝗦… ¿necesito decir algo más? Realmente insufrible este personaje. Todo lo que hacía, todo lo que pensaba, su propia presencia me sacaba de quicio. No ha habido nada que me haya hecho empatizar con ella, me daba absolutamente igual que fuese huérfana y que se sintiese sola en el mundo y que buscase una familia… una pereza de persona.
Y ya no solo eso, también una absoluta pick me desagradecida¿? Literal que en el primer capitulo su “madre de acogida” le compra ropa como un gesto amable, y la chavala esta actua como una p€rra, quejándose de que la gente espera que sea agradecida con sus familias de acogida por salvarle la vida… a ver amiga, la cosa no es así, no te montes películas.
Luego Roman, uff se supone que tenia que ser el interés romántico así un poco grumpy, que no quiere acercarse a la protagonista y yo sinceramente me he cansado demasiado rapido de su papelito de Edward Cullen, y es que LITERAL ES EDWARD CULLEN 2.0 al principio de crepúsculo, solo que mucho más insufrible.
El resto de personajes ni me molesto en comentarlos, todos pasan por el libro sin pena ni gloria.
En cuanto a la trama… ABURRIDA. Siento que ha querido juntar todos los vampiros de la cultura pop (crepúsculo, Buffy, crónicas vampíricas) mezclado con toques mágicos e ilusionistas, pero el resultado ha sido un libro sobrecargado de elementos con esa sensación de estar leyendo cosas que ya has visto antes. El típico been there/ done that.
El guión de la historia… sin orden ni concierto. Cada dos por tres te iban soltando revelaciones que lejos de soprenderme me dejaban en plan WTFFFF¿? Esto lo tenia planeado la autora¿? O acaba de improvisar y se le acaba de ocurrir¿?
La fantasía y el sistema de magia me han parecido simples, 0 elaborados y nada que no haya leído antes.
Nada más que añadir, salvo que no me ha gustado. Y 500 paginas nunca se me habían hecho TAN LARGAS.
July 12, 2023
Cruel Illusions takes many familiar elements but mixes them in a way that offers something a little different. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this in advance of publication.
Our main character, Ava, recalls her mother’s death and is convinced that a vampire was responsible. Drawn to a mysterious magical world, Ava is willing to suspend her disbelief regarding the supernatural, but it quickly becomes clear that nothing could prepare her for what she is about to witness.
Drawn to the allure of a hidden magic show, Ava feels compelled to find a way to learn more. There’s something instinctive that draws her to these illusions, and the book focuses on Ava’s journey as she learns exactly what these illusions signify.
From the outset we had a mysterious trial, the age-old battle of good and evil and a clear sense of characters striving to do their best in very trying circumstances. There’s magic, darkness and a clear desire to encourage us to rethink some of our assumptions.
While the story itself felt quite familiar, the things Ava learns about herself and her family were engaging. The book explores attitudes to family and belonging, while providing us with a highly entertaining story.
Our main character, Ava, recalls her mother’s death and is convinced that a vampire was responsible. Drawn to a mysterious magical world, Ava is willing to suspend her disbelief regarding the supernatural, but it quickly becomes clear that nothing could prepare her for what she is about to witness.
Drawn to the allure of a hidden magic show, Ava feels compelled to find a way to learn more. There’s something instinctive that draws her to these illusions, and the book focuses on Ava’s journey as she learns exactly what these illusions signify.
From the outset we had a mysterious trial, the age-old battle of good and evil and a clear sense of characters striving to do their best in very trying circumstances. There’s magic, darkness and a clear desire to encourage us to rethink some of our assumptions.
While the story itself felt quite familiar, the things Ava learns about herself and her family were engaging. The book explores attitudes to family and belonging, while providing us with a highly entertaining story.
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