Book #79 - Spells (Wings #2)

Spells (Wings #2), Aprilynne Pike
359 pages
urban fantasy, paranormal romance
Started 7/11/12
Finished 7/18/12
3.5 STARS

Can you believe that I only listened to my first audiobook in February of this year? I know, right? What was I missing? I have a 35-minute commute one way to work, so it takes me the better part of a week to get through one of them. But, I've done a few now - enough so that I've developed a theory. I think the best audiobooks to listen to are the ones you don't have high hopes for. See, my reading time is precious - I want to spend it the best way possible on the best books possible. But, there are books out there that I'm curious about, but don't think will be "great." Since my time in the car wouldn't have been spent reading anyway, that time would be great to put toward those no-so-great books. Make sense?

With all that said, I'm sure you can guess that Spells was an audiobook. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled with Wings (Wings #1). It was juvenile, kinda hokey, and Laurel, the main character, annoyed the crap out of me. But, the end was not horrible and left me wondering what happened next. So, what the hey? I decided to listen to it in my car, too, because the alternative was listening to Fun's "We Are One" for the seventy-millionth time this summer.

So, Laurel has agreed to go to Avalon for the summer to learn how to be a faery. She also gets to spend some quality time with Tamani, which only adds to her confusion over David too, by the way. After she gets home, it's clear that there's a persistent threat to Laurel's life, which will keep Tamani around and Laurel motivated to learn her craft faster.

Ok, so I will say that this book is marginally better than Wings, which does give me hope for the rest of the series. I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, which focused more on faery culture and the city of Avalon. Laurel is try to learn how to be a "mixer" and Tamani is trying to teach her all the nuances and politics of Avalon. I thought the pace and world building here were really nice, actually. Laurel didn't bother me like she usually does

Then, she goes home and the book starts to go to crap. David is a whiner and a poser. I'm not a fan of his character at all. And, when Laurel is around him, she is the same way. She strings along both David and Tamani, and that makes me crazy. And, Chelsea - ugh. Valley girl with a 'tude. The pace seemed to slow almost to a snails pace at this point, too. And, the introduction of Klea felt both unnecessary and confusing.

But, hey - it was an audiobook, and a perfect one, in my opinion. I really wish libraries would stock a bigger selection of audiobooks. Because I had to get Illusions (Wings #3) in hard copy. I know, I know. I couldn't resist. I have to find out what happens now!