Quirky, fun book that any Buffy fans will eat up, a really enjoyable read with the perfect blend of Buffy, underworld and the vampire diaries. Absolutely loved the sarcasm and references to Neverending story, tomb raider etc.

Not quite 5 star read it was a little simplistic, very YA and has a few irritating typos, but I loved the story and characters. The Fairyloot edition is absolutely gorgeous and I love the cover art of Ava, Roman and Xander.


“There are small and easy ways to break a child. I know most of them-making promises you never keep; saying everything will be fine when it never is; giving a Popsicle to one kid and not the other; saying you love them and then pinching their arm hard enough to bruise; never bothering to look at them at all; kissing their forehead at night and telling them you'll never leave and then dying.
I'm sure other ways exist.
People like to say children are resilient. And they are. Their blood's like glue. Wound them, and their body puts itself back together again. But it's not like a scab that breaks off eventually and leaves the skin unmarred. It's more like a china doll. Even if it looks whole again, there's still that layer of glue there--evidence you can point to even when no one else looks close enough to see it. At this point in my life, I'm more glue than flesh.”
( )

Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston is a novel that I have not seen get a lot of press, and that surprises me because there is a lot to like here. Yes, I know I am biased toward liking anything involving vampires, but they are superficial to the story. At its core, it is a story about magic and power dynamics with a bit of revenge thrown into the mix. What Ava learns about the secret society she is so desperate to join had me sitting up and buckling in because I knew I was in for a ride. I was not expecting at least some of the twists. Anticipating the others did not bother me or detract from my enjoyment of the story. I finished Cruel Illusions with that sense of satisfaction a good story brings and also wanting more from Ms. Fuston. ( )

Magic, revenge, immortality, and romance weave among bloody thorns and a very dangerous game.

Ava will never forgive the vampire, who took her mother's life. Nor can she forget her parents' love of performing magic shows on the stage. Now that her brother and her have shifted from one foster home to the other, he, at least, has found a place he can call home. She, however, is eighteen and needs to deal with the revenge she's planned for the last years. When she runs across a magic show, which not only impresses but seems to call to her in a strange way, she wonders if she's found what she's looking for. But it's the hunt for vampires the magicians do after the show, which completely wins her over. Convinced she can finally find her revenge, she agrees to become the troupe's apprentice...but she's no where near ready for everything that means. Especially when she's forced to take part in a dangerous competition, where only one of the new apprentices is allowed to keep their magic and continue the hunt.

This book packs a lot...which also explains the almost 500 pages found in the hardcopy. It starts out with Ava and her brother somewhat settled into their latest foster home, explaining a bit of past but mostly allowing the reader to get to know her situation and sink into her character a little, first. She comes across as sharp-edged but not as cold as she'd like to be. Her love for her younger brother is golden, and although she's untrusting of the rest of the world, she doesn't completely spit in kindness' face. It gives her just the right amount of warmth to gain a little sympathy, while showing how her past has hardened her, too. It sets up the perfect stage for the rest of the wild ride...because it does shift into high-gear from there.

The author does a fantastic job at opening up a world of amazing magic and scenes. The descriptions allow for wonder, letting the darkness mix with beauty. It was fun to watch the magic happen through Ava's eyes and almost see the impossibility unfold. The manor, the fight scenes, and everything else comes to clear life, and that without overly wordy or drudging description blocks.

Plots weave with secrets and sub-plots to make quite the intricate tale. While some aspects are predictable, there are quite a few which hit with unexpected twists and turns. Every truth is hard-won and comes at a price, and each one holds a darker secret behind it. It gave the read richness and felt as if there were more than the pages should be able to hold...but it all fits into a great story. The ending does leave enough open to let imagination flow, while securing the loose ends to form a solid finish.

There are tons of characters, many of which fall clearly into a gray zone. It's a complex world with shadows and forced survival, making each character hold their own goals and rules dear. It's hard to see who is worthy of friendship, and who is hiding their hand. But many have very individual story arcs...although Ava's didn't progress or change as much as it could have. Still, it was easy to root for her and the others, and hope they came through.

And there is romance. This wasn't quite my thing since it involved a lot of instant attraction and that with a love triangle... of sorts. I did root for one side, and Ava is in a hard spot. I just had a little trouble accepting the triangle with all of the other things going on too. But that's a personal thing, and the romance did flow with all the delicious tension and excitement that it should

I did enjoy this read quite a bit and found it extremely well done. I read it in one sitting and let myself happily get lost in this dangerous but magical world. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the quick-paced fun. ( )

TW/CW: Blood, death, body horror, violence, fantasy violence, murder, talk of losing parents

RATING: 3.5/5

REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Cruel Illusions is the story of Ava, a young woman in the foster system because she has lost both of her parents to violence – her father to a mugging and her mother to a vampire. One night when she escapes out the window of a foster home, she discovers a magic show featuring real magicians, and they offer to take her in and train her to become their apprentice, as well as to teach her how to kill vampires so she can avenge her mother’s death.

This book has a lot going on in it and my feelings about this book are very complicated. It’s very well written, with good world building and an interesting story, but I think it tries to do way too much. In my opinion, this book would have made a much better duology or trilogy than trying to cram so much into one book. For the last quarter of the book I was like “and now it’s over!” just to find that there was something else that had to be done or settled. What would have been exciting in more than one book became tedious and overdone when it was all crammed together. It’s not that I didn’t like this book – it was original and unlike any fantasy I’d ever red. The characters were interesting and well developed. I liked the writing. I just wish that instead of a single volume this could have been two or three so that the reader isn’t so overwhelmed by everything that happens. ( )