I was SO torn because of this book. While I wanted to give it a higher rating, please tell Aprilynne Pike that characters are extremely important. The reader can not be frustrated or just plain hate your main character. In the first book, she straight out sets up Laurel as a Mary-Sue that made me want to kill her off right away. At least in Twilight Bella's description was fine, (and I couldn't stand her) but with Laurel, the author pretty much set her up to have no flaws, describing her as the perfect size (skinny with curves, I bought the first book) she's graceful, her hair never gets greasy, she looks like the teens in magazines etc.

I'm pretty sure faeries are supposed to be more attractive than humans, but you don't need to recite all of your main character's perfections in one paragraph, please.

Also, how she's torn between Tamani (I'm rooting for him) and David seems to be one of the main things she cares about. Honestly, at least Tamani has a good enough personality compared to David so I actually want to root for him. Everyone I see on Goodreads seems to root for Tamani. Does anyone actually want Laurel to be with David? The thing I dislike about David is that-he's boring. Mostly because of the writing, but he seems like the typical YA lit boyfriend who the main character would do anything for. At least Tamani and Laurel have an interesting conflict because they only get to see each other every so often. But, the problem with liking Tamani is that Pike is almost forcing us to like David by showing that Laurel loves David more than Tamani (still not overly sure about this...) I think the problem is that I dislike Laurel so much so I WANT her to be rebellious and choose Tamani and the faerie world.

I was unsure as of "Wings," but now Team Tamani it is!

Also, a plot hole I noticed. Because faeries live more than double the years of humans, Laurel would grow up looking the same while David and her family and friends grow old and die. Not only would she be left alone, but someone would notice I'm sure. Not that I care about Laurel at all, but it gives her yet another reason to choose Tamani.

Other characters? How Chelsea knows how Laurel is a faerie already just left my mouth wide open-not in a good way. I guess I should have seen it coming, but honestly, that just came out of nowhere.

This book also follows the same cliche of a parent who doesn't understand whatever their child is going through and the child gets all angst-y about it. I completely hate this. Laurel! You're a freaking flower. Of course your mother doesn't understand! If I told my mother I was a plant, she wouldn't even believe me and call me crazy.

Positive things? Ok, well I liked Avalon (I don't believe Laurel questioned that name, in "Wings" or "Spells") and I would look forward to the parts that took place there. The race (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring) conflict felt a tiny bit overdone, and of course Laurel complains whines about it. I liked Tamani, which I've already stated. I like the whole faeries=plants thing, but that was more in Wings than this book.

Overall, I'd rate it a 3.5/10. I'm reading the rest of the series, no arguments, just because I have to know what happens at the end.