Title(s): Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, Radiant Shadows
Author: Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely
Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty-especially if they learn of her Sight-and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention.
But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost-regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr’s stunning 21st century faery tale.
I was recommended this book by a friend, and when I started reading it, I was hooked. This book carries you through the magical world of Faery, and through Aislinn’s journey through their mythical world. Keenan, King of the Summer Court has his sight set on Aislinn, Ash, and he’s not easily detoured. However, Ash is equally determined to shake his tail on her. As these two duke it out, she becomes closer to her best friend, Seth, than she has ever been before.
This book is amazingly written, with lots of twists and unexpected turns. Full of love and adventure, this book will keep you reading until the very end.
Ink Exchange
Unbeknown to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow. Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life. The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils…
An interesting read, this book was not, however, better than the first. Ink Exchange was actually very anti-climatic, mostly because the MC in this book (Leslie) is unconscious most of the time. Also, it was slightly disorienting, since both Leslie and Irial do not really appear in the first book.
I wasn’t disappointed, nor was I obsessed beyond sanity, with this book. However, it does help you understand the third book (which is much better than this) better. If you can’t stand Ink Exchange, you will not be horribly confused when you begin the third book. Do not let this book deter you from the series, the next two books were amazing.
Fragile Eternity
Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he’d ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen. Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who’d always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she’d ever imagined. In Melissa Marr’s third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.
The third book to the Wicked Lovely Series. This book was taken from both a Seth/Ash point of view (all in third person of course). Seth is sick of being left behind, Ash is sick of being stuck in the middle, and Keenan is sick of his court being tainted with Ash’s sadness. Without Ash and Keenan really getting together and being happy, the summer court perishes. On the other hand, Ash doesn’t want to be without Seth. Same goes for Seth, but as the world turns and time moves on, he feels like he’s being left to the dust, destined to die while Ash keeps living. Seth finds a solution to his problem, but is it really something that will make everyone happy?
This book definitely is a comeback from Ink Exchange. It is filled with love, and many unexpected twists. It is written amazingly and will keep you reading, on to the end, and to the next book. Watch out though, pay attention to everything that happens, because this causes the fourth book, Radiant Shadows.
Radiant Shadows
Hunger for nourishment. Hunger for touch. Hunger to belong. Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers. Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries’ coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani’s death. Ani isn’t one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin’s plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other? Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr’s New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.
The best book of the series, in my opinion. The chemistry the author created between the half-ling, Ani, and the Faery warrior, Devlin, was really well done. These characters are darker than Ash and Seth, creating a different sort of atmosphere. This book is like a separate story to the other three, but still require them to set up this one. This book also had the most action of all of the books, keeping you on the edge throughout the story.
Adventure, action, love make their way into this book, keeping you wanting more.
Definitely the best of the series so far, and the stage has been set for her (supposed) final book of the series. (The name to be announced)
Quotes:
‘She stood in his kitchen, watching him toy with the ring in his lip. It wasn’t quite that he was biting it, but sucking it into his mouth. He did that when he was concentrating. It isn’t sexy. He’s not sexy. But he was, and she was staring at him like a fool.
“Wow” she whispered.
“Wow, huh?” His voice was low, husky. His chair creaked as he stood. His footsteps seemed strangely loud as he closed the couple yards between them. Then he was beside her. “I can work with wow.”
-Seth and Ash (Wicked Lovely)
“Do you ever wonder if what you look at is the same thing everyone else is seeing?”
He went even stiller at her side. “Sometimes I’m sure it isn’t the same…but that’s not so bad is it? Seeing the world in a different way?”
“Creative vision creates art,” he motioned around the gallery, “that shows the rest of the world a new angle. That’s a beautiful thing.”
-Irial and Leslie (Ink Exchange)
“What am I going to do?” He sank to the floor.
“Hope that some of us are kinder to you than you’ve been to us,” she whispered. Then, before she could soften again, she walked away and left the Summer King kneeling in her foyer.
-Keenan and Donia (Fragile Eternity)
He reached out and caressed her face. With a serious expression, he traced the edge of her jaw with his thumb. “You‘re beautiful, Ani. In all of eternity, there‘s never been another faery who could make me want to forget everything and everyone else.”
“Because you like the way I look?” She rolled her eyes. “Apparently, my dream mind is shallow.”
“No, not the exterior. You… the tempers and follies and passion… even the way you care for that infuriating steed.” Devlin gazed at her like she was precious. “Even knowing you could be fatal, I would‘ve said yes.”
Her chest hurt like she had held her breath too long as she asked, “To?”
“Whatever you wanted.” He didn‘t reach out and pull her into his embrace. Instead, he took one step forward, leaned down, and kissed her.
-Devlin and Ani (Radiant Shadows)
Between Printed Pages 