Wings [Hardcover]

I liked this book, but then I didn't. The more I read further into this book, I almost wanted to drop it, but I didn't because curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know what was going on.

You have to wonder about Laurel's parents. Laurel doesn't eat like normal teens, and drinks up on the sodas. Yet her mom is okay with that? her parents are pretty much oblivious to everything regarding Laurel and this is where it gets unrealistic. It got a teensy bit worse when her good pal David seems to be VERY accepting of who Laurel really is. He doesn't think it's strange? he had no hesitations? he just shrugs and gets along with it? if David had been skeptical at first, it would have made this whole situation a little bit real. BUT! What bothered me the most was how in the end, once Laurel explains everything to her parents...they were just ok with it. Um..what? really? they just suddenly thought: 'okay honey that's nice. Run along, play with your new friends and hope your new outlook on life is great' WTF?! At this point because it was at the end, I resorted to eye rolling. It was just too late into the book to throw it against the wall.

So, despite all of this silliness, there was a couple of things I liked. The world building was pretty good. The fantasy aspect and the magical places are interesting. The plot itself was an all right read and the pace made it for a quick read through. Character-wise, I thought David was the best one of all of them. Just because I thought he really was such a sweet guy after all. (He'd have to be sweet, to be so easily accepting to Laurel). Tamani on the other hand resembled a very jealous possessive guy who has severe issues and overall I found him downright annoying. His little comments here and there annoyed me and I wanted either David or Laurel to kick him in the face somehow.

I'm not sure if I would recommend this. A lot of readers seemed to have liked this book a lot. I'd say there's better books featuring magical fae out there. I'd say try out Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston instead. For this one, take it or leave it.

Laurel grew up in a small town, homeschooled, never been to a doctor, and is vegetarian. She is very reluctant to move to a bigger town and start going to school, but it will soon enough be the lesser of her problems. She will soon discover she isn't even human. Her new friend David will help her in her quest to find out what she really is. And they will both discover more than they bargained for.

In a very special faery tale, Laurel, David and Tamani will fight brutal enemies to protect their lives and a world you can only dream of.

Wings is a really nice story that picked up slowly for me, but ended in a rollercoaster of emotions.

Laurel is a really shy but special girl. She isn't really aware of her beauty and the effect it has on people around her, and I think it makes her an even more beautiful person. Throughout the book she's trying really hard to deal with the changes in her life, and makes it a priority to protect her loved one in the process. David is a real sweet boy, helping Laurel discover her true nature and being there for her all the time. He really loves her, but he is kind of awkward about it, which is pretty cute. Tamani is a faery sentry bound to protect Laurel, and he is acting really mysteriously, we get to know him better as the story progress and he really wins at getting known, he's great!

I liked the world Aprilynne built in this book. A very original tale that unfolds itself very nicely. You don't know much of what's going on at first, but the more you learn and the more you want to know. As is it, we still have a lot to learn, and I am hoping Spells (the second book) will put some light on the mystery still hanging around Avalon (the feary world). I also think the fearies' origins is quite surprising, I had never read a lore like that before so it was refreshing. There was this discussion about half way into the book about "where babies come from", which was awesome. I still giggle thinking back lol.

I wish I could tell you more about the book, but it would be hard to do without giving any spoilers so I will end my review saying that Wings is a great debut novel, with a well knitted plot, and if you like faeries, you should most definitely give this book a try. It's like nothing you ever read before!

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Written in 3rd person which is always a nice change from the large amount of YA novels written in 1st. Overall I enjoyed this, although when I was only 50 pages in I didn't think I would. I thought her friend/boyfriend (not really clear on where they stand) David was a little boring at first. After reading so many books where the male is the one who is supernatural in some way I was a little disappointed that he was just a regular old human. However, after reading further he soon became my favorite character and I was rooting for him until the end. The other male lead Tamani, I didn't really like. I found him arrogant, pushy, a know it all and just a touch creepy. I don't like it when people influence other people against their will with a power they posses, especially when said person cares about the person they are manipulating. I don't think that is caring at all. Maybe I am little biased because since I fell in love with David. I cannot stand it when the best friend, that would do anything for the girl, who is head over heals for that girl, gets the short end of the stick. It's just so unfair! Laurel could have just as easliy had a female best friend that wouldn't feel so bad when she got a boyfriend.

Another little nitpick I had, which I overlooked in my rating of this book, is the underwater breathing thing David & Laurel do when they are throw in the river. I am not convinced that would have worked, for that long or at all. I would have given this book a 4/5 because I did like the story/adventure but at the last minute Laurel does something I don't really like, she cannot chose between David and Tamani (hmm, wonder where I have seen this before) and instead of figuring that out she kind of keeps both in her pocket..not cool in my opinion. I am sure there will be a sequel where she does eventually make up her mind, but I wasn't all that into the way this book ends. I'm undecided if I will read future books in this series.