Review: Illuminate by Aimee Agresti

Summary-

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.
As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda 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 to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?
Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew.

Review-

 This is not your typical Good vs. Evil story. The basic concept is the same. However, the way it plays out and the characters involved are unique. At first I thought - Great! another angel story. I'm pleased to say this was anything but ordinary. I like when an author can write about such a common topic and make it unforgettable. The main character and her closest friends are quite charming. They are a band of outcasts who finally have a good thing happen for & to them. The story is fast paced but detailed at the same time. It looks bigger than it feels. The story flies by at a quick clip. It is so intrguing I finished this 511 pages in a short day and a half. It is easy to read. I'm hopeful that I'll get to read a sequel to this one. If you're looking for an angel story with a twist then give this one a try.

Publisher-Houghton Mifflin Harcourt         

Reviewer Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewed by~Mechele

~Thank you to Meredith Wilson for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program!~