Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Wings, book 2

Synopsis: "I can't just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I can't 'steal' you away. I just have to wait and hope that, someday, you'll ask," Tamani said. "And if I don't?" Laurel said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Then I guess I'll be waiting forever." Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life - and especially her boyfriend, David - to return to the faerie world. But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice - a choice that could break her heart.

Review: I was eager to read Spells and I was waiting for its release in France for a while. This second volume focuses mainly on the choice that faces Laurel: to lead a life as a human or as a faerie. A very difficult choice for her. Having been raised among humans, Laurel feels like she cannot abandon her family, friends and her boyfriend, David. But the call of Avalon is also very tempting. Moreover, she’s very attracted by Tamani, the faerie sentry whose mission is to protect her. Unable to make a decision, she tries to reconcile/combine these two lives and doesn’t hesitate to play both ways, but having such an attitude isn’t without consequences.

I must admit that I liked less this second book because I found there was overlong passages. I didn’t finish it as quickly as I would have liked. In fact, I had some difficulties to finish the book, it’s unfortunate. Perhaps it’s the fact that this one is more focused on the love triangle... well I don’t know. Personally, I preferred the passages occurring in Avalon. I wanted to stay longer in this world, to know more about the life and the functioning of this society.

Indeed, on the other side of the gate, we find a fairytale world, full of magic. We finally discover Avalon. This is all new to Laurel too because she forgot all about her early years when she lived there. But life in the faerie world isn’t as perfect as it seems to be. In Avalon, faeries are divided into castes. Those who are at the lowest rung of the ladder, as Tamani, must serve the other faeries who belong to a higher class. So there is a faerie hierarchy, a protocol to follow and a set of strict rules which the girl has difficulties to comply. It was very interesting to discover at the same time as our heroin, the uses and customs of the faeries. I was amazed also by the descriptions of magical landscapes.

As for characters, I must say I was less charmed by David in this second volume, I don’t know why, he’s always so sweet and caring towards Laurel and would do anything for her but I found that he has lost some of his luster. Regarding Tamani, I was really sad for him, especially at the end. Laurel is terribly cruel with him. Okay, she doesn’t want to leave her family and we understand that but why does she play with the poor Tam and his feelings? She's not nice in this book. We can see also the appearance of a new character in this second opus: a woman named Klea Wilson but we don’t know much about her. Is she a Friend or an enemy? Only the sequel will tell (or at least I hope so). The end opens the door to other possibilities and a third book that promises to be more exciting. In the end, even though I enjoyed less the second book, I’m still a big fan of the saga and I look forward to read the sequel.