Review: Illusion - Lea Nolan

"Don't you see?  We're connected, you and me.  We always have been.  And always will be.  So as long as this thing keeps buzzing, I'm going to be here for you."

Title: Illusion

Author: Lea Nolan

ISBN: 9781622664030

Publication Date: October 5, 2015

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Source: NetGalley invitation

New school. Cross-country move. Broken heart. If only these were Emma Guthrie’s worst problems as the first day of her sophomore year dawns. Instead, she must battle a trio of enemies—human and spectral—who may or may not have joined forces against her. All while pretending to be over Cooper Beaumont, her ex-boyfriend and true love, to shield him from her arch-nemesis’s revenge.

Worse, when the fight escalates, Emma is tempted to use the black magic she’s always fought against, endangering her own soul. As her enemies close in, join forces, and fight with new and dark magic she’s never seen before, Emma must finally harness the power within her to fulfill an ancient prophecy, defeat a centuries-old evil, save her family, and reclaim the only boy she’s ever loved.

~*~

First and foremost, I have not read Conjure and Allure yet, so I jumped right into this trilogy at the end; however, I do feel that Illusion can safely be read as a stand alone novel.  Yes, there was a bit of backstory I felt I was missing, having not read the previous books, but Nolan does a fantastic job of revisiting the important pieces a new reader would need to fully enjoy the conclusion of Emma’s story.

I loved Emma to pieces.  Loved how she could be a strong protagonist while still retaining the ‘weakness’ of being a young lady with the weight of the world on her shoulders.  She goes head on against the temptation of the darker side of her hoodoo powers, constantly facing off against Taneea and Sabina, and the siren call of an ‘easier way’ to get what she wants, and she still sticks with the light.

And Cooper, sweet, faithful Cooper, who stands by her side, even when she’s trying her best to push him away in an attempt to protect him. ♥

Nolan has created a wonderful world, filled with the age old light versus dark struggle, real characters you can’t help but connect with, even if they piss you off, and a relationship chock full of enough fluffy teen romance to make you see hearts.  Illusion was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to get my hands on Conjure and Allure so I can catch up on Emma and Cooper’s backstory.  Plus, the new covers are absolutely to die for!

-Digital ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley, in exchange for a review.

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