23 February 2012

Book Review: Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1)

Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1) by Aimee Agresti

Format: e-arc
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publishes: 6th March 2012
Pages: 528
Main Characters: Haven, Lance, Dante
Date Started: 12th February 2012
Date Finished: 23rd February 2012
Rating Given: ****

Netgalley:
When ambitious and brainy Haven lands an internship and moves to the city to chase her dreams, mysterious things start to happen, and a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking coworkers seem to be at the root of it. When she uncovers their evil agenda, she must figure out how to halt their malicious plan and save prom night!

When I came across this book I just fell in love with the cover that I just had to try and get it and I didn't even look at what it was about and I was so pleased when I was accepted to read it.

This book is a tale of two halves for me. The first half of this book was so boring and I just couldn't get into it I thought I was going to have to stop reading this book and I don't do this very often which was probably why I continued and I am really glad that I did as the second half of this book was so gripping I didn't want to stop reading it.

In the bad half I felt there was too much being told that didn't need to be told maybe if it was shortened it would have been on one of my all time favourite lists. It just seemed a bit mundane as I knew it was a paranormal book but in the first half I had no idea where that would come into the story. There was flashes nearer the halfway mark where I thought it would pick up but it would then go back into a slow mode again.

About halfway through though it did pick up pace there was so much mystery I had no idea of how everything was going to turn out. It was fast pace from there on out something just kept on getting added to the mix. There was so many parts towards the end where I found myself smiling it was just so sweet especially the end.

At the beginning I didn't really like Haven she just didn't feel like a strong female character she was very naive as well. I felt like I knew something was up with the hotel before she did she was just very annoying. But then halfway through kicked in and so did she as a strong independent girl. I ended up routing for her and I can't wait to find out more about her in the books to come.

I loved Lance from the beginning and you just knew he liked Haven but she was too blind to see it. He was sweet, smart and strong all what I like in my male characters. I just wish we had more of him maybe in the next book.

Dante I loved at the beginning but then he had a dip and from then on I didn't know what to think of him I just hope we get to see better things from him in the books to come.

I loved the take on Heaven and Hell it was well written that I could really imagine what these people/creatures where like.

Overall a very slow start but keep with it and you should end up loving it just as much as I did!