WIngs by Aprilynne Pike

Title: Wings
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Publisher: Harperteen
Reading Level: Young Adult, 12+
Publication Date: May 5, 2009
Pages: 304
My Edition: Hardcover
Amazon Page

Rating: B+
Plot - 18/20
Characters - 16/20
Writing - 17/20
Originality - 18/20
Entertainment - 10/10
Recommendation - 9/10
Total: 88/100

Summary:
"Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful--too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings."

When a flower blooms in the middle of her back, Laurel discovers that she is a faerie and was placed with human parents as a child. As Laurel learns about her true background and the dangers that face the faerie realm, she struggles to find her place in both worlds.

Review:
The first thing that I want to say is that I am not a fantasy lover. I don't read fantasy, I don't have fantasy books, and I haven't read a fantasy book for two years. But this one intrigued me. Mainly because of the cover. The cover is absolutely stunning, and the jpeg doesn't do justice for the real hardcover. It is such an amazing cover. But when I was sent this book randomly (I probably wouldn't of picked it up without this being the case) I looked at it, and I read the very vague synopsis on the jacket cover and it actually got my interested. So I picked it up and I read it.

I loved it. In a I-have-never-read-anything-like-this-before type of way. It was different from anything I have ever read. And I like that aspect of it. I'm not sure if this is a cliche faerie novel or not, but from my experience it was so different, that I just loved the uniqueness of it.

The writing was good, not spectacular. The characters were good, not wonderful. The plot was awesome and the originality was awesome. That is what did it for me.

Laurel was likable. Maybe too likable. She just seemed, perfect. She didn't seem to have her flaws, besides the fact of the flower growing out of her back. David was a bit too perfect too. Tamani was too perfect also. They are good characters, yes. They just need more flaws to come out.

The book was told in third person, and as much as I know you all probably know this, I really hate third person narrative in a lot of books. Some books it fits and I don't complain about it. Actually I don't think I've said anything about this since last August or so. Anyhow, I'm bringing it up again. I really think this novel could have benefited more by the use of narration in first point of view. I think it would've become more personal and more of an honest novel then just a fantasy novel.

In one word: Awe. This novel made me awe it. It was just so different. I just can't get over that. This novel was a great start to the beginning of a new four-book series and I can't wait until next year for the next installment.