Cruel Illusions

By: Margie Fuston

Narrated by: Madeline Pell

“The perfect sinisterly magical escape…full of longing, desperation, and betrayal.” —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval trilogy and Once Upon a Broken Heart

Caraval meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this “beguiling” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) young adult fantasy about a girl who makes a deal with a magical secret society to enter a potentially deadly competition for the chance to avenge her mother’s death.

Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home.

But it’s been ten years since anyone’s seen a vampire, and Ava has lost hope that she’ll ever find one…until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where she witnesses impossible illusions. The magicians may not be the bloodsuckers she’s hunting, but Ava is convinced something supernatural is at play, so she sneaks backstage and catches them in acts they can’t explain.

But they’ve been waiting for her.

The magicians reveal they’re part of an ancient secret society with true magic, and Ava has the same power in her blood that they do. If she joins them, they promise to teach her the skills she needs to hunt vampires and avenge her mother. But there’s a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she’s worthy of it. And to do so, she must put on the performance of her life in a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.

a new twist on the origins of vampires

I really enjoyed this. it was a really fresh story on the original of vampires and magic. the character development in the main character was also really well done. would recommend.

Great story!

Super cute and unique story thats action packed and filled with twists and turns! Really hope Ava, Roman and friends story continues on with atleast a novella!

Super unique! Loved it!

At first it was slow going and I wasn’t sure I liked it but then it reved up and all I can say is it was very unique and beautifully crafted I hope to have more stories from Ava Roman and the troupe in the future!

entertaining

good narrator and an entertaining story. The lore was an interesting twist and I appreciated it.

I enjoyed this!

The beginning was hard to get through. For myself I think it was a mixture of the performance and the way the book is written. But as you get through each chapter it’s a captivating story.