Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Illuminate (Gilded Wings, #1)

by Aimee Agresti

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything changes when she isawarded a prestigious internship at a posh Chicago hotel under the watchful eyes of agroup of gorgeous strangers: the powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; hersecond-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff ofglamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people arenot quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers the evilagenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able tothwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at thehotel?

Reviewed by Suz @ Bookish Revelations on

5 of 5 stars

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Illuminate is an exciting mystical tale full of independence intermingled with luxurious splendor, and the knowledge of greater strength yet to be discovered. It is a cleverly written and breath-taking whirlwind of intrigue with a rich and wildly dark but compelling story arc. Powerfully alluring and filled with beautiful people and dark illustrious sinister plots sure to hook readers and draw them in this enthralling and enchanting world. It isn’t just another novel involving angels. It's so much more than that, boldly daring to be extraordinarily original. It is a tale readers won't be forgetting anytime soon, as it transports them to a magical place full of mystery, power, and undeniable suspense.

It is a lively and highly influencing story filled with dark and alluring characters. The beautiful people, as they’re referred to, full of so much power, flawed realistically, and fascinating mystery. Their tale is wondrous and will draw readers in and keep them enchanted and mesmerized. These are characters that are not to be forgotten anytime soon. Haven is such a delightful heroine to get to know and is well developed as the novel progresses. She is such a lovely well-rounded fearless character that possesses such a likeable quality, filled with compassion and intelligence. The romance she shared with Lance was one of the sweetest things about the novel. It's incredibly easy to connect with these magnificently written characters, as Agresti writes them in such a realistic and delightfully enjoyable way.

Illuminate is filled with wonderful twists and turns that will surely leave readers intrigued with the mystery all the way through to the end. It is such a beautifully written fast-paced, well-developed action packed tale full of heart stopping danger and wonderfully sinister villains with dark agendas of their own. It's exciting and daring and highly original, it is sure to make Agresti a fast favorite and stand out in the world of young adult fiction. Agresti is an amazing new debut author bursting onto the scene with such a captivating and compelling novel that readers are sure to love. Fans of the illustrious Michelle Zink, the awe-inspiring richly dark tales of Lauren deStefano, and the intriguing writing style of Kimberly Derting will be sure to enjoy this wonderful pulsating novel full of wonder and amazement.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 December, 2011: Finished reading
  • 18 December, 2011: Reviewed