Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
DNF @ …mystery percentage. For once I didn’t check. XD
Well, hello, there. Welcome to possibly my shortest review yet. I know, I know, I literally always say that and then you’re given paragraph after paragraph of a very non-short review. I’m a mess…well, actually I’m just a talker…or writer? Okay, I’m not sure, but I’m already going off track. Let’s hope I get this right?
Once Upon a Time…
Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”
Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.
Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.
Okay, so the truth is, I picked up this book for two reasons and two reasons only: it was cheap on Book Outlet and I saw there was pretty birds on each of the chapter headers. I was still in my SOC bless and I think they’re crows and I was like, YAAAAAS PRETTY BIRD PICTURES…even though I hate birds. I’m had mixed times with Kiersten White, but I read a few pages ahead and this book was so funny and witty that I had to try it.
What I loved was the humor, and it’s almost what kept me going. The first few pages were so funny with Jessamin adding the real issues into the letters she was sending to her mother, and I loved the time period it was about. It had a super interesting premise and the wit was good so far, but there were a few other issues that just made it give up.
There was a diversity aspect with our main character, but I’m not entirely sure how it was handled? As I said, I didn’t get super far.
The main issue I had was Finn. So, we meet this glorious golden-haired boy who Jessamin accidentally meets. And I’m like, well, okay, that was fast, but then all of a sudden, after giving her slightly the creeps, she agrees to have lunch with him in a secluded place all by herself. Horrible decision, really, but his hair is just so golden that she has to go. Anyway, they have a nice lunch, and they part ways…only to be brought back together a few pages later when she’s delivering food to his room. Of course, Finn is some super Victorian spy or something and he decides to try and kill her because she’s obviously a super Victorian spy too but then somehow he makes her tell the truth and figures out she was literally trying to just give him some food and then we’re back to dreamy golden-haired Finn. I literally only got three short chapters in and these Finn encounters made up 1/2 of it. I just thought it was dreamboat Finn too much, too fast. And that really wasn’t for me so I had to call it a day.
Look, it’s decently short, right??? Are we at least sort of impressed? No stars and a Snow White rating!
Check it out:
What do you think? What are some of the main reasons why you DNF? Do you totally get drawn into a book for pretty bird drawings too? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
I just read And I Darken, I’d never heard of Kiersten White before and was hoping to read some of her other stuff, but I guess I won’t pick this one up then! Would you recommend any of her others?
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I actually loveddddddd her debut, Paranormalcy. It’s soooo funny and a really cool premise. I tried to read the second one in the series and it just went downhill. But the first one can be read like a standalone and I would for sure recommend. I tried Mind Games, but I didn’t get too far in that one either. But I super recommend Paranormalcy, and I definitely think you will enjoy that one. 🙂
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Awesome, thanks! I’ll stick it on my TBR 😄
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Hopefully you enjoy it! 😀
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I wish you would review Slumber for me…if I emailed you a copy, would you tell me if I’m crazy? Bc I hated the book but it gets major love on Amazon, gorgeous cover and all. If you DM me on Twitter I would really appreciate a second pair of eyes, even if you DNF it at 11% like I did.
It’s a retelling of Sleeping Beauty set in a dystopian landscape. I wanted to love it. I just need to know if it’s just me.
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Yeah, definitely. Lemme switch over to Twitter. I have a lot of those same feelings with books and I definitely feel like I’m the only one. But I will for sure! 🙂
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I have heard mixed things about this book. People either hate it with a passion or absolutely love it. But hey, at least it has a pretty cover.
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That’s what it seems. And I could see where people would love or hate it. But it does at that and the pretty bird things.
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DNF at mystery percentage hahaha that made me laugh! 😀 I can see why you didn’t like the book, I probably would have DNFed it, too! It seems very insta-lovey to me and the whole Mr. Attractive trope (if you know what I mean) is getting olddd!
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LOL, I literally always do a percentage, but I apparently was soooo done at that point I gave up trying to figure it out. I do agree about the Mr. Attractive trope. Perhaps that’s why I’m so into the nerd trope that’s so big right now? XD Because it’s so different than this one. XD But I super agree with you. 🙂
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AH YES THE NERD TROPE!!! I love it 😀 If you have any more nerdy/geeky recs other than Geekerella please share 😉
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Oh goodness, I do have quite a few. I went in deep with the geek/nerd trope. IT’S JUST SO CUTE. My ultimate is The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller. It’s so ridiculously fluffy and adorable and hilarious. Her second one, Romancing the Nerd is quite good as well. The Replacement Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts is a must as well. She’s a book blogger with a secret Star Trek obsession, and her LI is nerd-hot. XD The Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash is really good as well (it does have a whole con thing as well). Those are my top ones. 😀
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WOW!!! Thank you so much for all the recs, I looked them all up and put every single one on my TBR!!! They sound sooo cute and NERDY, I’m totally here for it! 😀
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Ahhhhhh yayyyyyy! 😀 I’m so glad. They’re so much fun and cute and adorable. Nerdy = epicness. I can’t wait to see what you think of them in the future. 😀
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I DNF books for a variety of different reasons. I almost DNF’ed Illuminae because I was so bored with it.
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Yes, boring is a huge part. That’s probably the biggest if not biggest reason I DNF a book.
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OOOOO this hurts! I actually really like this one! I feel like the black sheep of the comments right now!😳😳😳 Apart from the glorious cover! I really liked the events of the story. I can see why you might have been put off by Finn…I guess it is a little insta-lovey. But I like it! I can’t help it, I found the story fun and magical. It was a different type of magic and I found the world interesting. I don’t remember everything since I read it almost a year ago, but I just know I liked it! Oh well, I guess we can’t agree on everything!🙃🙃 Except maybe that cover cuz it is beautiful!
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NOOOOOOOOOOO, RENDZ, HOW DID I FAIL US WITH THE SAME BOOK LIKES? I’m mad at my book self right now. But yeah. I get too picky about it. D: And then I kept focusing on it, and I missed all the cool parts that you saw. The next one, Rendz, though, we will be back in book sync! I’m sure of it. XD But yes, definitely on the cover. XD
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It was bound to happen eventually! Don’t worry though we will be back on our book sync SOON!
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Yes, or else I will be very sad. XD But we got this. 😀
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Oh, bummer! I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy this one. I adore And I Darken, but I haven’t read this one yet. I probably won’t after reading your review. I used to DNF all the time, but I don’t anymore. Last year I started making myself finish every book I started, and I’m still doing that. There’s been several that I was grateful I didn’t give up on, but sometimes I do feel like I’m wasting time on books I don’t like. I don’t know which one is better for me yet. 🤷♀️
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Yeah, I’ve always had hit and miss with her work so I’m hoping And I Darken will be a hit since I’ve heard amazing things about it and especially with your rec. But huh. You make a good point. I’m still a big DNF’er but maybe you do make a good point. if you have one good one that somehow makes it better. Might need to rethink some. XD
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I need to read her Paranormalcy series still. I’ve heard great things about it. And I Darken was actually the first book of hers that I’ve read, and I loved it. To DNF or not to DNF. I don’t know which is better. LOL. 🙂
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I actually lovedddddd her first book in the Paranormalcy series. I got out in the second one because a friend said she got super angry at it (I think there was a love triangle and she just went on this huge rant that scared me). But Paranormalcy is all kinds of hilarious and very cheesy, fluffy…even though it was a paranormal. XD
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Hahaha. That does sound like a super fun series. Love triangles don’t bother me as long as they make sense with the story. The only time I don’t like them is when there is nothing new or unique about them. Other than that, bring on the triangles. 😀
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Lol, yes, very true. I think a while back there was love triangles to just make a love triangle since Twilight and The Hunger Games made them so popular. But if they must be in, then I’m game. Although I do get angry if I ship the wrong person. And then I never forgive the book because I had the feels in the wrong spot. But you make a great point.
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Hahaha! It’s so true. But an author that can make me fall in love with one book boyfriend and then a different one in the same series, well, that is just impressive. 🙂
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YES. So very true. (I’m looking at you, ACOMAF & ACOTAR. XD)
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RIGHT?! 😀
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I still didn’t get behind THe Red Queen’s switch, though. D:
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The more I read of that series, the more I TOTALLY do. Actually, the more I read of that series, the more I hope she ends up with neither of them. #TeamMare
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For sure! That would be really refreshing and entertaining. 😀 I might be able to get back into it that way. XD That’s kind of funny the two shippers would rather have Team Mare be her own ship.
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I know right?! The two swoon queens want to not swoon?! How does that happen?!
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Ik! It’s just wrong! :O XD But interesting. I am interested to see what really happens.
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Too much dreamboat Finn… Hahahaha XD
And another DNF, wow, that sucks I hope you get to read some really nice books from now on to make up for it! Princesses deserve nice things- like nice books. And not getting them is just scandalous!
Really enjoyed your review, Mandy ❤ And found your reasons for picking this one hilarious… And super relatable! I mean, look at that cover! It's GORGEOUS. And a deal's a deal, amirite?
We are weak, my friend. WEAK.
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Lol, if only that ship wouldn’t have sailed. But no. XD
And yeah, I had quite a few all in row. The books were mean to me. D: BUt thank you. Princesses do and especially Book Princesses and Sophie, of course. 😉 But it is very scandalous and you may see a few in the future *cough, tomorrow, cough, cough*
LOL, it’s so true. There was literally no reason besides the birds and the cover. XD Sooooooo weak, tho.
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Hahahah, never thought I’d hear that one XD
But yeah, pretty covers are so misleading sometimes… And mean books suck 😥
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They do. v.v Mean books with pretty covers suck even more. D:
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True T_T
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