Cruel Illusions: the deliciously dark and addictive magical fantasy

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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. 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.

Cruel Illusions: the deliciously dark and addictive magical

It’s a lot more sinister than Caraval, and I think if you see past the magical aspects it’s almost more akin to the Hunger Games. Loved the story and the plot, the characters were well written and I fell in love with some of them! Granted, you didn't feel any real connection with most of the other competitors so I guess that's that for you.You can see the resemblance in the photo he keeps of her—all three of us sitting outside our trailer, the forest tight around us, my brother squirming in her thin arms, and me with my too-big dark brown eyes that mirrored hers.

Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston | Hachette UK

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. 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. If you're still here now reading this, thank you, and I have one last thing to say, please go and get this book.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.

Cruel Illusions | Book by Margie Fuston | Official Publisher

She ends up helping them pick who they think is the hotter Lara Croft: Angelina Jolie or Alicia Vikander.

The book ex0lores attitudes to family and belonging, while providing us with a highly entertaining story. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. The magic was fascinating to me because it merges illusion magic with this idea of receiving our magic from the applause of others. 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!

Cruel Illusions - Hodderscape [INSERT UK TITLE ARTWORK] Cruel Illusions - Hodderscape

As the competition gets underway, she realizes there is something more sinister at play, and the truths she held fast to may not be so true after all. Eventually, it gets to a point where the magic users push themselves to the brink of death through blood letting and become immortal (their magician blood is all used up and instead they gain a hunger for the blood of others to replenish themselves, becoming vampires). I loved all of the twists and betrayals - there were some predictable moments but plenty of surprises. still, i enjoyed the competition aspect and all of the big reveals/plot twists (though some were predictable).Fueling your magic by performing in front of an audience is such a cool concept, and I loved the connection between Magicians and Vampires. She’s always loved magic, clinging on to the illusions her mum showed her to keep her close, while simultaneously training with one goal in mind - to someday kill a vampire for taking her mother from her. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home. Apart from her there were some characters I adored - like Roman, Reina and sweet Willow - and others I couldn’t care for. Firstly I want to say how much I absolutely loved Vampires Hearts and Other Dead Things, so I was really excited to read Cruel Illusions.