Darkest Mercy

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.
Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.
Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.
from amazon.com

Beth says 5 Stars…

I’m so sad that this series is over. I absolutely loved the dark and unexpected world of Marr’s faeries and am rather distressed to leave it. This review will probably be more than slightly biased because of how much I’ve invested in the series, through its ups and downs, which makes it rather difficult to separate this book completely. However, I’m going to do my best to neither wallow in the slight misery of the ending of a favorite series of mine nor gush about the awesomeness of this conclusion. The world Marr created is spellbinding and seductive; enriched and enlarged over the course of the novels. As this isn’t a new world that needs creating entirely, very little expansion of the established ended up being necessary. I think that the main enhancement came in the guise of the characters and not from the settings surrounding them. The plot constantly diverged in different directions, and all of the little threads placed in previous novels came together beautifully. Before reading the book I worried about how having different main characters in the other novels would affect the flow of the plot. I needn’t have been bothered, because Marr shifted focus from one character to another smoothly, entwining their individual stories to make a whole. All I’m going to mention about the actual plot is that I didn’t see the end coming, but I loved it and thought it a fitting close to the series.

The characters didn’t lose their quality and brilliance, and in fact just became more and more fascinating. I enjoying reading about all of the old, familiar friends and foes with just enough new faces throw into the mix to keep it fresh. Some of the characters, of course, fell slightly by the wayside because of the sheer numbers of them, but most of those either weren’t my favorites or had supporting roles previously. It was delightful to see how much Ash changed to meet the challenges of becoming the Summer Queen, much as Donia had in transitioning over to being the Winter Queen. I particularly enjoyed how they functioned as foils for one another to highlight the differences and similarities in the nature of the courts. Then there are the boys, and Marr knows how to make some very delightful fey men. Niall, Seth, and Keenan all had some ups and downs in this book and have changed dramatically since their first introduction. What I love about a series this long is that it allows for remarkable amounts of character development; you really can see an interesting arc.

It’s sad to see this series draw to a close, but I thought this novel a fitting end to it. I’ll miss the faeries and the world they inhabit. I’m excited to see what Marr’s next YA project will be (I know I need to grab her first adult novel soon) and be transported into another world by her. Hopefully it will be as seductive and fascinating as this was.

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?

Nathan says 4 stars...
So...this is a bit embarrassing. I could apologize and tell you how I've been busy, but honestly there's no excuse. Regardless, I'm posting a review now.

I love Melissa Marr. She's amazing. Having said that this is my least favorite book by her thus far. It's still a four star book, so that's not really disparaging Radiant Shadows so much as praising the rest of her works. But this review isn't about those.

Radiant Shadows focuses on Ani, the half-mortal, half-faerie child of Gabriel, the leader of the Dark Court's enforcers, the Hounds. Ani is coming into her Dark Court heritage, but feels trapped by her father's protectiveness. Her blood is telling her to run, but her family won't let her. This is where Devlin enters the story. He offers her an escape, and a whirlwind of adventures begins.

The story is a bit of a romp. There are the ever-thorny problems of Faerie Court politics blended with the problems facing an emerging half-faerie teenager. Needless to say, drama abounds.

My problem with this book lies with Ani and Devlin. For some reason, I can't love them. I want to, really, but they don't have the same appeal as Marr's other characters. I've never dealt well with teenagers who lash out and are angsty, and Ani kind of walks a fine line.

Overall, it's a great book. Face-paced and engaging, with Marr's trademark sensuously dark edge, Radiant Shadows continues one of my favorite series in the Young Adult world.

Love Is Hell

Sure, love is hell. But it,s totally worth it.

In these supernatural stories by five of today's hottest writers—Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely), Scott Westerfeld (Specials), Justine Larbalestier (Magic or Madness), Gabrielle Zevin (Elsewhere), and Laurie Faria Stolarz (Blue is for Nightmares)—love may be twisted and turned around, but it's more potent than ever on its quest to conquer all.

From two students who let the power of attraction guide them to break the hard-and-fast rules of their world to the girl who falls hard for a good-looking ghost with a score to settle, the clever, quirky characters in this exciting collection will break your heart, then leave you believing in love more than ever.

from harpercollins.com

Beth says 4 Stars...

I was really excited about this book because it has 4 of my favorite authors in it. Overall this book lived up to my expectations, but not entirely. The one story that I felt really didn't rise to the occasion was the one by Gabrielle Zevin. It was written in a very choppy style, and the plot was hard to follow despite its brevity. At the end of the story I still had no idea what had happened. I was confuzzled, which is worse than confused. My favorite story was probably the one by Justine Larbalestier, but Melissa Marr's was a very close second. They were both original, and captured my attention. A rustic and magical village and the modern seaside provide settings for these tales. Marr's take on the selkie skin was just brilliant, and very different than what I had expected. Larbalestier created a hauntingly compelling story that I couldn't stop thinking about. Even while I was trying to sleep it crept into my thoughts. It wasn't that the book was bad, it was just that I expected more. Overall, it was very enjoyable, but I suffered from a case of extreme expectations. It's still good to pick up if you love these

Waiting on Wednesday

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 Melissa Marr’s next volume of Melissa Marr’s New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

from wickedlovely.com

This week we don't have a pretty picture for you all, but that doesn't make our pick any less spectacular. This week we're waiting on Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr. If there's anyone out there who hasn't read the Wicked Lovely series go out and buy it. Right now. We're not playing around. We can't wait to keep reading more about the dark and seductive world of Faerie, and are sure that this will be another delight from Marr's pen.

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.

from harperteen.com

Beth says 5 stars...

I was so excited about the release of this book. I loved both Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, and really hoped that this one would be no different. Thankfully, it wasn't. This book continued to delve deeper into the world of the faery courts. I loved how Marr ratcheted up the intrigue and complexities in the book. The old relationships between all of the existing characters deepened and new ones were formed, but all of them impacted the courts. Every single decision made had consequences, and I have a feeling that not all of them have come out yet. My only (minor) issue with the book was that Ash was a bit annoying at times. I mean seriously, she can't possibly be that clueless. I definitely liked her more in Wicked Lovely when she relied less on others. That said, the other characters were all fantastic. Niall is amazing, and just keeps getting more interesting. I also enjoyed watching Donia develop more. I've read that Marr thinks of this as Seth's book, and I can understand why. Seth really becomes a rich character, and his choices send the plot reeling constantly. Marr's writing is amazing, as always, and the plot was full of the unexpected. I couldn't predict many of the plot twists, but enjoyed them immensely. My least favorite part was the ending. It's a cliff-hanger, and I can't wait to read the next book!

Nathan says 5 stars...

I've been waiting on this book for a while, and it was the finale of my spring book trifecta (City of Glass and Bloodhound being the first two). It certainly was worth the wait. With Fragile Eternity, Marr only cemented her place within my list of favorite authors. Her prose is often quirky, but really fresh at the same time. The detail she uses is impeccable, particularly when describing the faery courts. The story is well-paced and fraught with energy. For me though, the most beautiful thing in a Marr novel is the character interaction. Each of the players is already amazing, but their relationships and encounters seems so real. Beth and I had the same problem with the novel. The strong, independent Aislinn we met in Wicked Lovely seems to be have diminished into a helpless maiden. I want to see her back in form soon. Niall is perhaps the most captivating character-he is downright intriguing. This novel seems more like a setup for another book rather than an independent piece, but that's okay because it means more Melissa Marr. Things look dark for our lovely (and wicked) characters at the end of the book, so drama seems sure to ensue in future volumes. I personally can't wait.

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.

from harperteen.com

Nathan says 5 stars...

In celebration of the imminent release of Fragile Eternity (fanboy yell) today I'm reviewing Wicked Lovely by the immensely lovely Melissa Marr. When I first read this book, I was flabbergasted. It was so raw, fresh, and vibrant that I knew that anything Marr ever wrote, I would read. She created a realm that perfectly melded the grit of life with the fantasy of faery. The mix of internal and external drama was superb, and her characters were some of the most original I've read in a long time. Marr defied not only the convention of traditional faery tales, but also traditional YA form. Aislinn isn't content to fall for the shiny prince who sweeps in from a magical realm; she wants her own life, and for that Marr deserves an immense amount of respect as a story teller. The story is filled with tension, and leads to a satisfiying conclusion. There really isn't much to say but READ IT, and do it quickly because Fragile Eternity is out soon.