Infatuate (Gilded Wings, #2)

Mar 07, 2013 Mitch rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tldr: Team Lucian let's roll.

Looking back, I really don't think my review of Illuminate did it justice. What I meant to say is that the first Gilded Wings is one of the rare angel books I actually like because it's a devilish mix of The Devil Wears Prada and The Picture of Dorian Gray. While it definitely shows its angel book roots, particularly in its molasses paced first half and somewhat forgettable heroine Haven Terra, nonetheless it impressively captures the mood, tone, and atmosphere of it...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Vivian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, romance, fantasy, highschool, young-adult, arc, bought-or-owned

Shaking with anticipation aosdifklasf

EDIT: why is the COVER SO HIDEOUS COMAPRED TO THE FIRST?!?!?
DON'T THEY KNOW THAT TAKING PHOTOS FROM BELOW MAKES YOU LOOK FAT

EDIT 02/15: okay ARC obtained... rEADINGGGGGG GAHHHHHHHHHH

REVIEW
Phoooeee, why does Agresti always have to drag the climax up until the last page? I feel like I'm still sweating from it all.

I liked this book more than the last for several reasons. This book had the potential to be soo cliche but I am absolutely glad it didn't turn out s...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Meredith Black rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sequels-coming-in-2013, all-my-friends-should-read-it, dark-and-tortured-male-specimen, didn-t-want-to-glad-i-did, that-awesome-gay-friend, two-thumbs-up, what-is-with-the-love-triangles, swoon-worthy-supporting-character

Lucian is mine.
Dante is awesome.

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Mar 03, 2013 Annabelle Marie Veronica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: angels, best-books-in-the-world, arcs, blew-my-breath-away-amazing, cliffhangers, books-that-made-me-cry, favorites, fantasy, love-triangles, gorgeous-cover, i-love-a-guy-in-this-book, paranormal, magic, romance

*****FINAL RATING: 4.75 STARS*****

CATCHALL
I absolutely loved loved loved this book. It was gorgeous and enticing, and everything I could have asked for after being blown away by Illuminate. It kept me up reading late into the night, and it was even more haunting and creepy than the last book. It turns out demons can get still more evil, and that there's even more intrigue in this book than in the last. I adored it entirely.

THE HEROINE
HAVEN
Haven grows so much stronger in this book. Before the...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Avani marked it as to-read

The cover's not as pretty as the first book, but I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in Haven's journey.
Especially with Lance.

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May 22, 2013 Becky Hutchison rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone who likes YA or paranormal

* Review also found at Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog

Fall semester of their senior year is over, and Haven Terra, her boyfriend Lance, and her best friend Dante are now early high school graduates. The prior spring, the angels-in-training successfully passed their first of three angel tests by battling evil at the Lexington Hotel. This spring promises to be a little different. The three friends have been recruited to participate in a volunteer assistance program in New Orleans, a community still...more

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May 10, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Summary:
After a bit of hell, Haven wants to get back to normal. So, she does what any normal teen would do, she heads off to New Orleans for a student volunteer program. Lance and Dante accompany her (because what else would teenagers do after graduation). Nothing could possibly be easy, so they run into new demons. These are shapeshifting bad guys. The three have to figure out the problems and solve them with the help of a ghost and angels in training who just happen to live nearby.

My thoughts:...more Summary:
After a bit of hell, Haven wants to get back to normal. So, she does what any normal teen would do, she heads off to New Orleans for a student volunteer program. Lance and Dante accompany her (because what else would teenagers do after graduation). Nothing could possibly be easy, so they run into new demons. These are shapeshifting bad guys. The three have to figure out the problems and solve them with the help of a ghost and angels in training who just happen to live nearby.

My thoughts:
The second book in a series is supposed to allow you to go deeper into the characters. Infatuate doesn't really do that. Haven and Lance have relationship quarrels that left me unsatisfied. She spends a good amount of time with Lucian, but their relationship status was clearly developed within book one. If Infatuate is supposed to rekindle something there, it fails. Dante is the only one that seems to have some depth. I think that we get to know him far more than the other characters, which is sad since Haven is clearly the focus.

The general plot is nearly identical to the first book; however, that isn't unheard of within the genre. It's a plot we all know and love, but are happy to be surprised with some twists and turns from time to time. A lot of the unexpectancy is taken out of the story because there are brief glimpses of omniscience that I don't think Haven needs to know. For instance, it would be more interesting for her to find things out on her own than have Lucian give her updates. Someone may ask how that would happen, since he is clearly in a different position than she is, but really part of the fun is finding things out and not being told.

The REALLY great thing that Agresti does is describe the setting. New Orleans really comes alive to the reader. This is a setting that has received more interest in recent literature and several books seem to believe all of us know what the streets of New Orleans look like. I have never been there and only seen pictures related to Mardi Gras, so I appreciated the detail that went into this book. Just as in Illuminate, some history of the place is mixed in with visuals that drop you straight into a scene. I wish her characters came alive just as the setting does. (less)

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Apr 05, 2013 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angel-lore, ya-lit

I have to admit, I'm finding the Gilded Wings series to be a lot more intriguing than I'd originally anticipated. I picked up the first book in the series, Illuminate, because it had pretty cover art and I'd been looking for something nice and light to read on the plane while travelling.

Maybe I'm rating on the high side because I don't have predetermined expectations, or maybe it really was a good read. I'm unsure right now.

I really enjoyed this as a second book. While it did set up the third, i...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Miss Literati rated it 5 of 5 stars

INFATUATE by Aimee Agresti is the second book in the Gilded Wings Series, a story focused on Haven Terra, an angel-trainee trying to earn her wings and defeat devils that are after her soul.

INFATUATE begins about a few months after the events of the first book, ILLUMINATE. Haven, her boyfriend Lance, and best friend Dante have graduated high school a semester early, leaving them with nothing to do for spring until they hear about a volunteer program stationed out in New Orleans. They decide to g...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Henrietta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Infatuate was… entertaining. After I finished Illuminate, I was very eager to continue reading about the adventure of Haven, Dante and Lance. I wanted to find out if the devils might continue to do what they did best and tried to drag these characters literally to hell. I wanted to know if Haven, Dante and Lance would find out more about their heritage. I wanted to see if there were more people going through challenges and training just like them. Did I find all the answers that I was lo...more Reading Infatuate was… entertaining. After I finished Illuminate, I was very eager to continue reading about the adventure of Haven, Dante and Lance. I wanted to find out if the devils might continue to do what they did best and tried to drag these characters literally to hell. I wanted to know if Haven, Dante and Lance would find out more about their heritage. I wanted to see if there were more people going through challenges and training just like them. Did I find all the answers that I was looking for in Infatuate? While I’d love to say yes, I’m afraid to report that I didn’t find every single answer that I was looking for. I guess you could say what’s in the book didn’t fully quench my curiosity. On the bright side though, I’m happy to share that in this installment, you’d find that there are more angels-in-training. You’d also see a whole new cast of devils here and these devils are not like the ones in Illuminate – they are more cunning; they are more sneaky. The challenges that Haven, Dante and Lance have to face are not just more difficult – they are simply soul-threatening! So, without a dull moment, Infatuate is thrilling and eventful.

As suggested by the title, the things that happened in this installment are related to short-term passion, awkward behavior and unreasoning desires. While I wouldn’t say the characters were behaving in ways that were out-of-characters, it was quite interesting to uncover traits in them that I might not have picked up in the first book. In a way, it’s like their sense of insecurities was amplified in this story. Most angel-in-training characters were tempted by the devil. Personally, I didn’t mind seeing them trapped in the circumstances that the devils set out. It was quite a different experience here compared to the challenges that they faced in Illuminate. Where Haven could use her diligence and intelligence to overcome challenges in the first book, all of her developed strengths seemed quite useless here. It was sad to see her suffer but I must say that watching her break down and crack also helped me connect with her in ways that I couldn’t before. And overall, I loved the way her character grew in this installment.

If you like stories that are set in New Orleans, you’d love Infatuate. I had fun reading about Mardi Gras and I liked that the carnival offered the perfect setting for the devils to scout their latest batch of victims while the angels-in-training battle for survival. However, I must warn you about the ending. Although it is not one of the cruelest endings that I’ve ever read, it was not a kind one. So, if you’re picking up the book now, don’t say I didn’t warn you. ;)

--

Originally posted on Leisure Reads.(less)

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Mar 10, 2013 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've run into a few authors that grow an incredible amount as authors between their first and second books. Aimee is one of those authors, without a doubt. Aimee is one heck of a writer. The first book in this series "Illuminate" was one of my favorite books of 2012. I actually found Infatuate to be a lot better, so I wouldn't be surprised to see this book making my list for 2013. As of right now it is up towards the top of my list out of the books I have read so far this year.

I can't even begin...more I've run into a few authors that grow an incredible amount as authors between their first and second books. Aimee is one of those authors, without a doubt. Aimee is one heck of a writer. The first book in this series "Illuminate" was one of my favorite books of 2012. I actually found Infatuate to be a lot better, so I wouldn't be surprised to see this book making my list for 2013. As of right now it is up towards the top of my list out of the books I have read so far this year.

I can't even begin to explain the differences when it comes to the writing of this book compared to the first one. Illuminate was already incredibly written, but to see just how polished Infatuate was? It seriously blew me away, to think that something that was already amazing could be improved even more. Aimee sure is one talented woman, and I can't begin to imagine how book three will turn out if she continues on this path.

The settings in this book were outstanding. I loved the Chicago setting and hotel in Illuminate. But Aimee completely blew that out of the water with her New Orleans settings in Infatuate. I honestly don't even know where to begin. Can you tell how much I loved it yet? Aimee's ability to lay out a setting for you and make you feel like you are right there with the characters is one of the coolest feelings ever. Aimee is one of the greatest authors I have ever read when it comes to her ability to accomplish things like that through her settings, and it rivals that of authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien. Settings are one of the most important things to a story, and Aimee never disappoints with hers.

Haven is back for another incredible story. A lot different than the last too, there is a ton more action is this book compared to what we saw in Illuminate. You see several characters from the first book coming back in this one, but you also run into some new ones. I really love these characters, and seeing how things change with them as the story changes. I can't want to see what book three has in store for all of them, and to see what new character will be brought in.

If you haven't read Illuminate yet, I would recommend that you go pick up a copy of it so you can get caught up and read this gem. This series is quickly becoming one of my all time favorites, and I really can't wait to get the chance to read book three. So make sure that you get caught up with this series if you haven't started it, or if you have I would suggest that you go pick up Infatuate as soon as you're able to.(less)

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Apr 15, 2013 Sierra B. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, library, supernatural, ya

I had read the first book, Illuminate and become interested in this series a while back. Basically Haven is training to be an angel and is constantly in danger of her soul and other's around her souls being stolen by demons. That are incredibly attractive and evil. In the first book Haven and her friends, Dante and Lance, survive and defeat the demons.

Now they are starting on a new adventure in New Orleans, where there are different demons, interesting culture, and new powers emerging. Also eve...more I had read the first book, Illuminate and become interested in this series a while back. Basically Haven is training to be an angel and is constantly in danger of her soul and other's around her souls being stolen by demons. That are incredibly attractive and evil. In the first book Haven and her friends, Dante and Lance, survive and defeat the demons.

Now they are starting on a new adventure in New Orleans, where there are different demons, interesting culture, and new powers emerging. Also everything starts going a little crazy when they discover other like themselves and the fact that they will be constantly and brutally attacked.

So apart from this book being a little strange it is interesting. Haven is a good, strong, determined character and there are several other enjoyable ones :) Although Lance seems a little woozy in this one, I still liked him, but thought he was nicer in the first book. Dante is a sweet, fun guy. And there are a couple others. But the main story is on those three.

Because this book is set in New Orleans I felt like I learned a lot and got to see a piece of the New Orleans culture. It was really interesting and now I want to visit :) The descriptions are definitely good and the writing may start of slowly but it certainly picks up. This book is on the long side...400 pages and not always page turning excitement. However it's still a pretty good story.

My main reason of not enjoying it as much is that the whole training to be angels + the demons thing is a little weird and not necessarily agreeing with my beliefs. There is also a gay character, but it's only mentioned a few times. Language wise there wasn't that much, only 10 words. There is some sleeping together but nothing farther and it isn't made out to be huge deal, barely mentioned. Um and some killing and voodoo.

Overall, this is a different, interesting book that I enjoyed the uniqueness of, some of the content not so much, but it was a good sequel I felt. And I loved the setting.(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Haven Terra and her friends want nothing more than a stress free trip to New Orleans, where they will spend their time volunteering on community service projects and enjoying the local history and attractions. In other words, voluntourism. Haven leaves thinking that after everything at the Hotel she and Lance will be closer than ever in their relationship. She and Dante will be rock solid. The second assertion yes, the first one not so much. Lance and Haven are drifting further away from each ot...more Haven Terra and her friends want nothing more than a stress free trip to New Orleans, where they will spend their time volunteering on community service projects and enjoying the local history and attractions. In other words, voluntourism. Haven leaves thinking that after everything at the Hotel she and Lance will be closer than ever in their relationship. She and Dante will be rock solid. The second assertion yes, the first one not so much. Lance and Haven are drifting further away from each other than they ever expected and with the demons actively campaigning for their souls, now is not the time to be divided. Also, their pretty and emotionally wounded housemate Sabine's attention focused on Lance, Haven just might lose him for good. But when all of the housemates learn they are participating in a secret bootcamp to train as angels, the threat becomes all too real. As the Krewe, a group of seductive demons, rampages on a murder spree through New Orleans can Haven and her friends come together long enough to defeat them once and for all? Will all of them still be alive when the dust settles?
I really enjoyed the first book and it's retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray in a completely new and interesting way I had never encountered before. This book doesn't manage quite the same feat for Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but it is still well crafted and easy to immerse yourself in while reading. Haven was still too good for me in this one - even when she's jealous of Sabine and Lance she never once lashes out. She basically just gives up and doesn't fight for what she wants. Plus her continued communication with Lucian, who is reaching out from the Underworld just strikes me a s stupid after the experience that she Lance and Dante has at the Hotel during their internships. I thought that the undercover voluntourism was a nice touch, but I didn't necessarily buy the sudden surge of Haven's powers and the ease with which all the teens learned what they could do. The idea of Dante as the sage adviser was fun and well written. He's still Haven's BFF, but has an extra dimension with his very happy romance and place at the head of the class. I loved his interactions with Voodoo Queen he's apprenticing for as well.
The Krewe as the villain seemed very obvious, but at the same time extremely disjointed and I had a difficult time keeping track of who knew what and whether or not someone was really evil. All of the human sacrifice and murders became repetitive to me as a reader and therefore less effective as plot devices the more they were used. The final battle seemed kind of played out, but maybe that was because of the way the plot began to drag near the end. I kept waiting for something to happen and when it did, it was somewhat anticlimactic. There was some awesome character development and the reconstructing of the relationship between Lance and Haven after it crumbles was very nicely done. I am interested to read the next book in the series. I want to know how it will end for the gang, especially after they've suffered so much. The world building had just enough detail mixed in with mystery to keep me hooked. Also, Agresti's prose is fairly gorgeous. Overall, if you're not such a fan of the angel trend (as I am not) I would recommend this book to you as it happens to be mostly character driven, with a pretty well constructed plot. Not too much religion or flying around talking about Heaven and/or Hell to be interesting.

VERDICT: 4/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published February 5th, 2013.*(less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, my-library, mythology, mystery-suspense-read, paranormal-read, romance, series, young-adult-read

Rating Clarification: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My Summary: After barely escaping with her life, Haven is ready for a vacation. Really ready. And so are her friends. But when their volunteer trip to New Orleans turns out differently than what they were expecting, Haven and the rest of her angel-in-training friends find themselves having to work harder than ever to resist temptation and switch ove...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Skye rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lbf-authors-for-2013

Infatuate, the second novel in Aimee Agresti’s Gilded Wings series, opens with heroine Haven Terra and fellow angels-in-training, boyfriend Lance and best friend Dante, graduating a semester early from high school and heading down south to New Orleans for some “voluntourism”. However, this time they aren’t on their own; the rest of their volunteer group includes fellow angels-in-training from around the country. What the trio thinks will be a relaxing semester volunteering with various projects...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Cherie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don't quite know what to say about this one. I don't really have a strong opinion, good or bad. Haven's continuing journey towards becoming a full-fledged angel was interesting and some parts were exciting but the book as a whole moved really slowly. I also thought it was entirely too predictable. From the very beginning I could predict all of the major plot points and I wasn't wrong about any of them.

Despite those things I still enjoyed the book enough that I want to read the next one to find...more

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May 16, 2013 Tabitha Olson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: recent-reviews

I really enjoyed Agresti’s first book, Illuminate. I found it intriguing with the Chicago history and really liked the characters. I wasn’t as enthralled with Infatuate, though, which really bums me out. When the first book ended, I was so curious as to what was going to happen next, and how they were going to be tested. I had really high hopes for this book, but it didn’t quite deliver.

Lance and Haven came together nicely in the last book, and I was looking forward to seeing their relationship...more I really enjoyed Agresti’s first book, Illuminate. I found it intriguing with the Chicago history and really liked the characters. I wasn’t as enthralled with Infatuate, though, which really bums me out. When the first book ended, I was so curious as to what was going to happen next, and how they were going to be tested. I had really high hopes for this book, but it didn’t quite deliver.

Lance and Haven came together nicely in the last book, and I was looking forward to seeing their relationship grow. But they don’t. Instead, they grow apart for no clear reason. I get that their relationship was supposed to be tested in this book, but I didn’t quite buy it because the strain could have been avoided by a simple conversation. If they had talked and still couldn’t work things out, that would have been more satisfying.

I also didn’t believe that Haven was attracted to Lucian again because she had so clearly dealt with her feelings for him at the end of the first book, so it felt like a plot rehash. I would have preferred if she saw him in a new light or something. But, considering the relationship issues, it still would have felt like a contrived way to create tension. I wish he'd been cast in a different role this time around.

I couldn’t stand Sabine and felt she deserved everything she got. Her role in the end was predictable, resolved too easily. I thought that the author went too easy on her characters this time around. After the wringer she put them through in the first book, I was hoping for more of the same, taken up a notch. Instead, it went down. I’m hoping that will change in the next book. Considering the cliffhanger ending, it shows promise. :)

All that said, I still liked this story and am looking forward to the final book. I think Agresti has a vivid writing style and I could see much of what was in the story. I also liked the New Orleans history and flavor of the city, which rang true to me. I’m curious where the story will be set in the final book.
(less)

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May 18, 2013 Cami rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book! I wish that Aimee would have made the third book though because I H.A.T.E. cliff hangars. I think the ending was a little messy and could be a little less... everything. I had to read it a couple of times to actually understand what had happened. And (SPOILER ALERT!) I hate that it ended with Lance getting taken by the prince!!! I think the first book was a little bit better than Infatuate but Aimee did a really good job at making me happy! Well definitely read this ser...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Olya Kline rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I love this series so far. I love the characters. Though in this book, I came to love Lucian even more this book, and less love for Lance. (view spoiler)...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Daisy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

***WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1***

So you might remember how I had some issues with Illuminate, the first book in the Gilded Wings series. Some of those things worked better for me in Infatuate, but I also came across some new things that annoyed me a bit.

Haven, Dante and Lance graduate early and go to New Orleans to do some volunteer work, which seriously had me giving them the slow clap, because there aren't that many people out there who'd choose to spend months doing this. But maybe...more ***WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1***

So you might remember how I had some issues with Illuminate, the first book in the Gilded Wings series. Some of those things worked better for me in Infatuate, but I also came across some new things that annoyed me a bit.

Haven, Dante and Lance graduate early and go to New Orleans to do some volunteer work, which seriously had me giving them the slow clap, because there aren't that many people out there who'd choose to spend months doing this. But maybe this also comes from them being angels in training and all, having an innate inclination to do good.
So pretty much all hell starts to break loose in New Orleans. Or tries to break loose at least.

I really liked some of the new characters we're introduced to, most of all Max, who makes a really nice boyfriend for Dante (which had me cheering actually, cause they're really sweet together).
I did however not appreciate the leader/trainer who has his own methods for teaching them, bordering on psycho behaviour at times. It was seriously uncool. I got that he wanted them to excel and develop their powers and all, but really, it was kinda creepy and I didn't understand why the kids didn't just all band together to kick his ass in the beginning. After it's explained what it is exactly that he does, he gets a little more easygoing but I always remained wary of him.

I think that the thing that bothered me the most about a couple of the new characters is that everyone is either ALL good or ALL evil, there isn't much of a middle ground. Except with Lucian I guess. I did like that we got to see more of Lucian and I was actually really rooting for the guy. This may also be partly due to the fact that Lance was being a huge douche throughout most of the book. Seriously, I would have dumped his ass and not looked back, he was just so UGH! GUYS! I don't want to say to much for fear of spoilers, but that boy is officially not in my good book anymore.

I liked that we learned more about all their abilities and seeing them develop was fun. I did laugh at the whole powers-that-be transitioning from communicating through diaries to cellphones, but I just went with it. The stakes get higher and I liked that Haven became more her own person and connected more with Dante again because I had missed the best friend relationship in the first book. And I liked that unlike a lot of angel YA, this isn't preachy in the least.

The ending isn't so much a cliffhanger as that it just seems to stop in the middle of the action and it left me going: WHAT?! It was such an awkward moment to stop that I felt somewhat baffled and unsure how to go from there.

I did like Infatuate and I liked it a little more than I did Illuminate, but again I had issues with this book and it took me a long time to actually finish it. I am interested enough to continue with the series though and I'm secretly hoping Haven will end up with Lucian in the end!

My rating: 3,5 stars(less)

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Mar 09, 2013 Mitchii rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy, paranormal, romance, young-adult

Illuminate is a book that took me by surprise. I have little expectations out of it but it turned out to be a pretty good read despite some minor qualms about its pacing. But it did make up for interesting turn of events and while not edgy enough for me but it was still undeniably unique angel story. So I was pretty excited when I was given a chance to read it in advance (but due to my very busy work it took me a while to finish it). I must say that the pacing was faster than its predecessor.

In...more Illuminate is a book that took me by surprise. I have little expectations out of it but it turned out to be a pretty good read despite some minor qualms about its pacing. But it did make up for interesting turn of events and while not edgy enough for me but it was still undeniably unique angel story. So I was pretty excited when I was given a chance to read it in advance (but due to my very busy work it took me a while to finish it). I must say that the pacing was faster than its predecessor.

In Infatuate, Haven and the gang joined a community project. But the it is not what they think it is. The project was just a disguise and the truth of the matter is that is that they are undergoing test if they’re qualified and at the same they are also training. In Illuminate we learned that demons are after their souls and now they must train to protect their souls. To fight for it. And this time the fight is harder than the other time when they interned in a hotel. Haven’s predicament doesn’t end when they narrowly escaped from the creatures who want them the last time.

Of course there’s the still the invisible Mr. Miyagi who helped Haven deciding on things happening around her. Leaving sometimes detailed but mostly vague messages to aid her facing her problems. And to those who are fan of the enigmatic Lucian don’t fret that he’s gone for good because he’s back and sort copying Haven’s guide by also leaving message and telling her that he’s on her side. He’s back to help her, felt like he owes Haven something so this is his redeeming act.

I’m little on the fence with this one. I was sort of glad that my main concern with last book on how repetitive the events were now rectified by highlighting important successive events. Maybe because this time they are no longer on pretenses that they were clueless human and doing normal thing (like being an intern in a prestigious hotel). They were under training of becoming who they really are. So every bit was integral to the plot as a whole.

I thought I’m going to love this book even better now that the romance was fully established with Haven and Lance being together. I don’t know if I liked it that it was minimal and the story focuses more what’s really important but little romance is still a factor to complain. I didn’t get enough of them. If not I was really depressed on how the story end with Lance’s…well, I should not ruined the story for you. But my heart worries for this guy. Haven you must do something.

Overall, it was pleasantly engaging. I sort of felt that the two books were separate unit because I have personal and distinct reason why I love the other and vice versa. But for Gilded Wings fans I think they are definitely going to like it.

3.5/5
I received an eARC from Harcourt Children's Book via Netgalley. Thank you.(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Nikki (Fiction Freak) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was so, so, so MUCH BETTER than Illuminate! Where Illuminate was incredibly monotonous and boring the first 2/3, Infatuate was action packed all the way! So much better than it's first installment! (But...this cover doesn't match the beauty of the first one!)

What I didn't like, though, was Lance and the predictability of some of the twists. Not spoiling, but what happens with Sabine was definitely something I was expecting. A character so thoroughly written was of course going to...well. I...more This was so, so, so MUCH BETTER than Illuminate! Where Illuminate was incredibly monotonous and boring the first 2/3, Infatuate was action packed all the way! So much better than it's first installment! (But...this cover doesn't match the beauty of the first one!)

What I didn't like, though, was Lance and the predictability of some of the twists. Not spoiling, but what happens with Sabine was definitely something I was expecting. A character so thoroughly written was of course going to...well. I could see some things coming from a mile away, so I guess I was disappointed on that aspect, but anticipating it was incredibly frustrating...in a good way. IS there a good kind of frustration? No? Let's call it anticipation then!
As for Lance, I absolutely hated how he treated Haven and their entire romance. He wasn't the best boyfriend--in fact he didn't act the part of the boyfriend at all, except for one scene of jealousy and a few chaste kisses here and there. Not to mention him slobbering over another girl...it was just disappointing...well, not really!
As Team Lucian I was definitely pleased with what was happening! Lucian is back and as swoony as ever! He's a bit hard to trust, that's for sure, but after his sacrifice in Illuminate, I was ready to risk it.

As for the plot, it alters between fast and slow, but it's enjoyable anyhow (even with the lags!) and definitely an exciting read! It's an original angel story, definitely different from all those other paranormal books, so I loved reading every page and discovering what happens and why it happened, etc. The voodoo shop and haunted mansion and cemetery (so many creepy places thrown at you!) were definitely some of my favorite places and the most...well, ominous scenes happen there! Any surprise?

But I am going to say that for an angel book, it didn't have much lore, like where the angels came from, the way the angel world worked, etc. so I was a bit disappointed in that aspect...but the rest definitely made up for it!

Umm...hmm. Short review...(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 03, 2013 Avery rated it 3 of 5 stars

As becomes evident in my review of "Illuminate" I absolutely loved it- admittedly I hadn't expected much from it, and that was perhaps the best part, it exceeding my expectations by tenfold. Therefore, as you can imagine, I was super excited to delve into this book, its sequel. However, after having finished it I must admit that it wasn't near as satisfying as I had found the first- I think that this book lost a lot of the magic from its predecessor.

I think that my largest complaints of this bo...more As becomes evident in my review of "Illuminate" I absolutely loved it- admittedly I hadn't expected much from it, and that was perhaps the best part, it exceeding my expectations by tenfold. Therefore, as you can imagine, I was super excited to delve into this book, its sequel. However, after having finished it I must admit that it wasn't near as satisfying as I had found the first- I think that this book lost a lot of the magic from its predecessor.

I think that my largest complaints of this book was the drama, lack of emotions, and general busyness. Everywhere I turned in this book there was drama and I felt that almost all of it was extremely forced/ unnecessary- drama between Haven and Lance, drama between Haven and her roommate, Sabine, drama between the teens and their mentor, Connor, and so forth. The characters had just graduated high school, however it felt like they were still stuck in it. As for emotions, I experienced none while reading the book- no swoon, no heart-pounding during the moments of action, no hair-raising during the creepy parts of the many cemetery scenes- nothing. Finally, on the note of busyness, it felt like a lot happened in this novel, however, when I sat back and considered it, not much did. I felt like very little was accomplished and that that was was glossed over (for instance, the summer camps that the teens helped to run, their time at the library, and so forth).

That being said, I obviously enjoyed the book enough to finish it- I did enjoy seeing the characters coming into themselves and their powers more (Dante especially, he always makes the books for me). Furthermore, I loved seeing Lucian's progression from being of the Underworld to something more. I also love/ appreciate the fact that Aimee featured a setting which few YA authors do- that of New Orleans. I have found that in her writing she is always able to transport the characters to the setting with all of the minute (yet not overwhelming) details.

All in all, while I do believe that this book did suffer from second book syndrome, to a degree, I did enjoy it enough that I will continue on with this series. I can't wait to see how Haven and the boys try to get out of their next predicament next!(less)

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Mar 06, 2013 the golden witch. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, arc-galley, ebook, for-review, net-galley, own-print-arc, urban-fantasy, teenage-shennanigans, demonica, angelic-pretty, best-of-13, reviewed

Okay, so first, let me just say that this video? Totally sums up this entire book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Otl...

Confused? Don't be. This book is one huge crazy orgy of angels, demons, love rombuses (yes, rhombuses!), trials of faith, and Mardi Gras. While we see Haven and the bunch pushed to their furthest limits yet - physically, emotionally, and mentally - we also see a lot of the human condition - what one will do in order to relieve loneliness, stress, and how to feel accepted and...more Okay, so first, let me just say that this video? Totally sums up this entire book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Otl...

Confused? Don't be. This book is one huge crazy orgy of angels, demons, love rombuses (yes, rhombuses!), trials of faith, and Mardi Gras. While we see Haven and the bunch pushed to their furthest limits yet - physically, emotionally, and mentally - we also see a lot of the human condition - what one will do in order to relieve loneliness, stress, and how to feel accepted and safe. While not quite as startlingly awesome as book one, "Infatuate" is still an excellently bold book with lots of stuff that's going to make you never want to say YOLO ever again.

Yes, there is a chapter (chapter 26, to be exact) called "You Only Live Once". I swear guys, it's pretty accurate. As the worldbuilding, character building, and sensory language were more or less flawless, this review will be focusing more on plot points. I'll try not to be spoilery, but in some areas, it can't be avoided.

That aside, here's what kind of brought down my enjoyment of the book as a whole (and thus only four out of five stars): One, we have Haven in the spotlight on the angel front, becoming this crazy powerful force. What I would have liked was for Haven to have more competition on the angel training front instead of just the romance front. Though, I do have to say, her being tempted by the Krewe? One of my favorite parts of the book. It was wild, crazy, and so refreshing that I actually wanted more of that for Haven. She's so steadfast, and while that can be a great character trait, it can also be a double-edged sword - as in, too steadfast, too rigid, and too assertive in one direction.

The other double-edged sword here: the love rhombus with Lance, Sabine, Lucian, and Haven. While it served its purpose in really driving the emotional tension of things throughout the book, I'm still not entirely sure if it was needed. I do think Sabine is a great foil for Haven here, and their dynamic worked really, really well in this book. I'm just not sure that she was needed in the love rhombus. I loved the return of Lucian, and the paranoia that came with him - whose side is he really on? Can we really trust him? There's a lot of paranoia within this book as it is, and Lucian's return just kind of made things crazier. In a good way.

I also liked how confident Dante was in this book, as well as the assertion that because he's not heteronormative, he's gone through more, and thus, is a little higher on the angel ranking of things. I thought that was an interesting idea, and a bit refreshing when it came to discussing sexual identity in YA - that for once, the non-heteronormatives are on top (literally) instead of the usual couching of bullying and suicide, etc. I also liked that he got a little love action, and I actually wanted to see more of that. If anything, I think Dante was kind of left out of things for the most part, and that he needed more facetime, compared to how much Haven and Lance got. I do understand that balancing a main cast of three is difficult, but I wouldn't have minded a longer book if it meant more awesome time with Dante.

What I loved the most: the insane gore and rampaging by the Krewe. While I think Clio could have used more character development (since, aside from the Prince, she's kind of the main antagonist here). I loved all of the chapters where we really get to see them cut loose, and the shapeshifting idea was interesting in that Agresti didn't go in the direction that many authors might have gone - having the Krewe changing into beasts instead of into humans. It just makes the demons all the more quietly dangerous, and I thought that was a pretty great choice on her part.

What I did love is that all of our main cast (and new characters) really get put through the mill this time - Agresti doesn't hold much back here, and I thought that was wonderful. I can only hope there's more of the same planned for book three. Big emotional payoff comes from killing your darlings, and she really did that here. My hat goes off to her for having the bravery to do so.

Finally, the ending. I'm feeling a bit lukewarm about it. It seemed far too easy - both in the cliffhanger department, and how the Prince appeared (and acted). I would have preferred more of a struggle instead of a "okay, going to do this now, doing this now, done, bye!" sort of vibe that actually happened. It felt a bit rushed, and could have been drawn out a little more. However, it does help solve the love rhombus, so that's a plus. I guess.

Final verdict? While it's not the breathtaking book that "Illuminate" was, "Infatuate" is still an awesome follow-up with lots of surprises in store. Definitely one of the best of 2013 so far, I can't wait for book three. "Infatuate" is out now from HMH in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)(less)

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Apr 21, 2013 Merin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, angels, read-in-2013

Despite being overly long and detailed, I am one of the ones who did enjoy reading Illuminate, the first book in this series. I liked the different sort of angel and devil lore being used, and really found myself drawn to some of the characters. I was therefore quite excited to read Infatuate; I was hoping that Ms. Agresti learned from some of the issues in the first book (like the slowly-developing plot), and that I'd come away enjoying this one even more. I'm happy to report that, for me at le...more Despite being overly long and detailed, I am one of the ones who did enjoy reading Illuminate, the first book in this series. I liked the different sort of angel and devil lore being used, and really found myself drawn to some of the characters. I was therefore quite excited to read Infatuate; I was hoping that Ms. Agresti learned from some of the issues in the first book (like the slowly-developing plot), and that I'd come away enjoying this one even more. I'm happy to report that, for me at least, that was definitely the case. While some aspects of the book were repetitive (like the Krewe's continuous nights of chaos), I still found myself moving through this one a bit more quickly, and becoming much more engrossed in the story and characters.

One thing I do want to mention is that this book should not be read if you haven't read Illuminate. The second installment makes continuous references to the events of the first book, and while some of it is explained, you will be much better able to understand the dynamic between Haven and Lucian, which is a very big driving force in this book. I don't want to go too in depth about this, because I'd like this review to be as spoiler free as possible, but Lucian's current situation is definitely the cause of some of Haven's decision making, and I think knowing their previous history makes it more poignant and really helps the reader understand why she's so determined to help him. Considering that her doing so is what helps bring about the climax of this book, it's rather important that the reader be invested in their relationship, and I'm just not sure you can be as emotionally connected if you don't read the first book.

Speaking of Lucian, I am a reader who is not normally "team" anything when it comes to character relationships. I'm pretty happy to just go along with what the author decides is the way to go most of the time, but with this series in particular, I am very firmly rooting for Lucian and Haven. I simply find Lucian to be the more compelling, interesting character. Haven is very "good"; she's a tad too all-powerful, a tad too intelligent. Because Lance is very similar to her, their relationship is ... kind of boring. It also didn't help that Lance and Haven get caught up in a very strange love square. Lance's actions during this time don't exactly endear him to the reader, and even when it's "explained" I still found him to be a bit of a jerk. Lucian is at least honest with her and doesn't keep playing with her emotions. He is what he is, you know? Lucian just helps to bring a spark to the pages, and gives Haven a different sort of vibe and light, if you will. I simply find myself much more invested in their interactions and actively rooting for them to get together. I'm sure that, in the end, I'm going to be disappointed with the outcome, but I'm still hoping for many more Lucian/Haven moments in the third book.

I also adored Dante in this book. Talk about someone who has undergone some serious character growth! I love that he's a major player now, and the fact that he gets his moments to shine. I just love the fact that he's an openly gay character, and not only has his own unique abilities and powers, but also a very cute relationship that gets developed in this book. You don't always see gay angels, so, for me, that's an added perk to this series. I'm looking forward to more Max/Dante moments, and can't wait to see how his abilities might change and grow in the next book.

Infatuate is a very solid second book. There's enough development not only in the characters but the plot to keep readers engaged and looking forward to the end of the series. It does have a semi-cliffhanger at the end, but it felt like a natural progression to me, particularly since the word "sacrifice" kept getting thrown around throughout the book. My one complaint is that the Krewe in this book was fairly one-dimensional; you didn't get to see what made them want to become what they are like you did with the "bad" guys in the first book, and some of their antics became repetitive by the end. But there was still a good tension in this book which was sometimes missing from the first installment, and kept me eagerly turning pages. I'm definitely looking forward to what comes next!

An e-galley was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

***

To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!

(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Gretchen Hohmeyer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, reviewed, on-amazon

I did it again. I don’t know why I did it again, but I did. I got really bored in the middle of Illuminate, but I had such high hopes for this one that I just had to try it out. I basically just got more of the same.

The book starts out with Haven, Lance and Dante graduating early. They decide that instead of just hanging around til college starts, they’re going to go on this volunteer thing to New Orleans. A change of setting is just what they need after everything that happened in Illuminate. C...more I did it again. I don’t know why I did it again, but I did. I got really bored in the middle of Illuminate, but I had such high hopes for this one that I just had to try it out. I basically just got more of the same.

The book starts out with Haven, Lance and Dante graduating early. They decide that instead of just hanging around til college starts, they’re going to go on this volunteer thing to New Orleans. A change of setting is just what they need after everything that happened in Illuminate. Clearly, they don’t understand that these guys just shouldn’t do internships.

The book takes a really long time to get to something we already know: everyone else on the trip is an angel-in-training. Until that point, they moseying around New Orleans, being good Samaritans and meeting creepy people. I couldn’t really see anything different between the demons the trio fought in Illuminate and the new troupe of demons, except for the fact that these guys were shape-shifters. That isn’t really a big deal, plot wise. From there, the plot continued to follow suspiciously closely to the first book. Haven realizes something’s wrong, she and Lance and Dante investigate, they save the day. Less fire in this one, though.

Another big problem I had with the first book is that little all knowing voice that would pop up and tell Haven exactly what was going on. In this one, Haven has TWO of those sources: the angel trainer, who’s gotten with the technology age and gone to a cell phone text, and Lucian, who can’t leave this one house because that’s where he can appear in ghost form, who’s always leaving her letters explaining just what’s going down in the underworld.

Haven and Lance also have these cliché middle book relationship problems that seem just disjointed. In the end, it just seemed like a plot device so Haven would actually go hang around Lucian a little bit longer. I didn’t buy it. On the other hand, Dante gets a real romance and it’s ADORABLE.

I left this rating at 3 stars, though, because this book DOES have a lot more action in it then Illuminate. There are a lot more magical powers (though Haven loses her original powers because her powers are growing, what?) and action in general. It made a serious attempt to move faster than the first book, which I can appreciate. In places, it was actually a really fun ride. The characterization still continuously falls flat, however, and the deus ex machina really needs to quit. If you enjoyed Illuminate, give this one a go, but don’t go out of your way to get into this series.(less)

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May 12, 2013 Oksana *Bookaholic* rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, annoying, awesome, dont-get-it, eh, i-hate-the-guy, idk, kinda-cute, lacking, ok, totally-saw-that-coming, ugh, um, went-against-my-subconscious, what-was-the-point, what-just-happened

I really really really wish Haven would have chosen Lucian. He was literally an angel, while Lance was being a really big retard and frolicking with Sabine. Lucian was always there, Lucian was always a gentleman, ~~and he was a really sexy hunk.~~ Anyway, I really wish that the book had ended differently. Hopefully, the third book will satisfy my whims.
I thought that the Krewe was epic, and it was actually fun reading about them. And Sabine... WTF!! I just wanted Haven to punch Sabine for being a t...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Alexis Sky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Loved it!! What an amazing sequel to one of my favorite books!!
Haven, Dante and Lance are back in this amazing sequel to Illuminate, but it's not the chilly Midwest, but the beautiful city of New Orleans that plays back drop to this fast paced story. Haven and the team are on a whirlwind voluntourism trip with the main objective- angel training. They are informed they will be tested, possibly their greatest test to date and some may not survive. With lots of distractions, a girl with her eyes...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book in a giveaway. I see a lot of people complaining about the cover, but the book inside is amazing! Don't judge the appearance or you'll miss out. :)

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title link	preview: Infatuate
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Infatuate (Gilded Wings #2)

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