Destined [Hardcover]

It has all come down to one final battle. A battle that will test everyone's ability to remain strong against an enemy who is seemingly unstoppable.

One last chance to stand together to protect all of Avalon from the wrath of an enemy who knows no mercy. An enemy who will stop at nothing to win. And who will destroy everything and everyone who gets in their way.

As Laurel, Tamani, David and Chelsea prepare for the fight of their lives, they will discover an unlikely hero in their midst. Someone brave enough to take up arms and lead the charge. Someone who is willing to pay whatever price is required in order to defend Avalon against the onslaught of enemy forces. Someone who may not come through the battle unscathed.

Ill-prepared, up against the greatest threat Avalon ever faced and with the odds stacked against them, everyone will have to fight. Everyone will be in danger. And not everyone will survive.

***

Destined is the thrilling, action-packed, nail-biting and bittersweet conclusion to Aprilynne Pike's Wings series. This gripping and tension-filled story will keep readers on edge as they follow Laurel on one final adventure through Avalon that will put her and her friends in more danger than they've ever been in before.

With a whirlwind pace, deadly threats at every turn, an intense battle whose outcome will determine Avalon's fate and a choice that will break someone's heart, this story will captivate, tease, torment, surprise and delight. And with each twist, the suspense will continue to build, all leading up to the stunning and dramatic series conclusion.

Not missing a beat, Destined picks up where Illusions left off and drops readers right into the heart of the action. As the enemy draws near, amassing forces that are hellbent on destroying Avalon, time is winding down for Laurel and Tamani to find a way to protect their home.

And when David and Chelsea insist on following their friends into Avalon and into battle, it is even more important than ever for Tamani and Laurel to keep the enemy at bay as it won't just be Avalon and their own lives that hang in the balance, but their friends' lives that will be at stake.

Aprilynne Pike has wrapped up this series in a way that is as exciting as it is heart-rending. Questions will be answered. Sides will be chosen. Lives will be lost. Hearts will be broken. And no one will walk away untouched.

The tension is palpable. The dangers are electrifying. And the quick pace and enchanting storyline are absolutely riveting. Making Destined an absolute must for readers who love stories of faeries, magical worlds, dangerous foes and deadly battles.

And for fans of the series, Destined will make them fall in love with the characters all over again and give them one last chance to say goodbye.

My aunt first bought Wings for me shortly after it came out and I fell in love. Spells and Illusions did not disappoint, especially with the cliffhanger at the end of Illusions! Waiting for Destined to come out seemed to take forever but the wait was totally worth it. Aprilynne Pike left no questions unanswered and the detail in this book is so detailed, often times I felt as though I was watching a movie with epic battles like Lord of the Rings, Troy, or Kingdom of Heaven. So incredibly action packed! I always tend to feel very emotionally invested in the books that I read and this book was no different. There were parts that had me cheering out loud, had me laughing out loud, had me feeling butterflies in my tummy, and had me crying. (I ended the book in tears.)

I feel such sorrow that this series is over but I've already read the first 3 books at least 3 times and I foresee myself re-reading this whole series many times in the future so I can relive this incredible story.

There was so much going on in this book that it's hard to recap it all here without just copying every detail of the book. Suffice it to say, I am completely satisfied with how the story ends! <3

** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS **
** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS **
** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS **
** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS **

The first ending was so nice and happy! The second ending was definitely bittersweet. At least Aprilynne Pike warned of that. I was beyond excited that Laurel finally chose Tamani and they ended up together forever. It was perfect!!! I was hoping we'd get to see some of Chelsea finally getting to be with David, and the second ending with David's letter touches on that a little, but David didn't have the happy ending that everyone else seemed to get. The experiences the gang had in Avalon really hit David hard and he had a really difficult time getting over it. It haunted him so much that he convinced Laurel (with Tamani's assistance) to give him an elixir to erase his memory of Avalon, and ultimately most of his memory of Laurel. This was so very sad and I felt pain for David. I love the fact that David and Tamani had become so close as shown by his final line in his letter to Chelsea.

Shar's death was just... sigh. Yuki's death was surprisingly sad. Jamison's plan was amazing. Chelsea was so fantastically brave and David with Excalibur, it was so amazing to see that they were not only allowed through the gate to Avalon but that they had such a huge part in saving it!

in a sentence:

YO. This book totally left me breathless and on the edge of my seat!! Man alive, Destined by Aprilynne Pike was SO GOOD! Last year, when I read Illusion, that cliffhanger nearly killed me ded. I wasn't sure I was going to live until the last book, and guys, IT'S WORTH THE WAIT. Destined takes you on a crazy rollercoaster that right away, it steals your breath away and your heart doesn't stop pounding until you've read the last pages.

full review:

Destined by Aprilynne Pike is the BEST book out of this series. Oh my god, it really is. It takes place over a twenty-four hour period and it's almost all sword-clashing, fairies vs. trolls battle and oh my lanta I LOVED IT. I really do like the twenty-four hour period books when they work, and it worked so well in Destined. I didn't want to put the book down at all!

I have to state up front that there was one part that I didn't really like: Laurel picks one person to be with forever in this book, and it's kinda like Mockingjay's ending. Le sigh. LE SIGH. You guys. I so understand where Aprilynne Pike is coming from with this ending, but I *hate* those type of endings. And I'm being really cryptic so I don't ruin it for you, and I am so, so sorry for that. But just be warned that it has one of those wrap-up in the future endings and I think it sucks. IT SUCKS SO MUCH.

But aside from that: HOLY MOTHER I LOVED THIS BOOK. I loved the battle. I loved all the twists and turns Laurel and the gang run into while trying to protect Avalon. Everything about it was epic, and I was scared for the crew; I didn't know if they were going to make it out alive. I didn't know what was going to happen, and that really scared me. Because omg, this book is written in third person and technically, technically she could kill off Laurel and THEN WHERE WE WOULD BE?! Nowhere. Yeah. That's where.

Side note: I can't say if she kills off Laurel or not. You'll just have to read the book to find out.

That sucks. I'm sorry. It's just this book is SO GOOD and I love this series--this series got me reading YA. And that is why I love this series. It introduced me to a whole new world, and that's a world I really, really like. I also really, really like the world-building in this series. I love Avalon, and I love the characters. While Laurel sometimes comes off bland and Bella-ish, she does have reactions and AND SHE IS SO AWESOME. She is flipping awesome in the action scenes, really. I also love David. <3 He is an epic human boy and I lurve him.

You guys? Destined is one of the best finale books. It is action-packed, full of twists and turns, and you will not want to put it down when you start it.