Illusion by Ginny Yttrup

 

This is the second book in the Mendocino Village series. I loved revisiting all of the characters I had come to love and relate to in the first book INVISIBLE. My favorite character was Ellyn. I found that I related with her the most. Her struggle with weight and self-image continues in this book and it resonated with me. I loved Rosa as well. She is a bossy woman who tends to drive people crazy but her heart is big and she truly loves those that she tends to mother. Pia is Rosa's daughter. I love how obedient and respectful she is to her mother even when it hurts her. Miles...such an understanding and loving man. He's much more understanding with Ellyn than I think most men would be, but then he was married a long time before so maybe he is just seasoned. I have to admit Twila's "gift" is a bit beyond me and something I would be leery of, but her insight helps a lot of people and was interesting in the story. I liked Nerissa's strength and determination to hang on to what she knows about God even when she was receiving no answers and not feeling his presence. The spiritual battles that were fought and won were heart-breaking and heart-warming. There was even a thread of humor throughout, because honestly, if we can't have a bit of humor in our struggles then we truly would sink into despair. At the beginning of each chapter there is an inspirational quote from Thomas Merton and each one touched my heart, but my favorite quote in the whole book was something that Nerissa had said to Ellyn early in the book and then Ellyn reminds Nerissa of it in this quote:

"When we believe God is anyone other than who He says He is, we believe an illusion." "And if we believe we are anyone other than who God says we are, we also believe an illusion."

A great reminder for sure. ILLUSION touches the heart and speaks to so many different emotions, I smiled and I cried and I was definitely satisfied with the ending. If you like contemporary fiction, strong female characters and spiritual insight in your reading then you will definitely want to pick up ILLUSION, but I recommend that you read INVISIBLE first because it is just as wonderful!