Old Habits and Stopping Time

Title: Old Habits and Stopping Time
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely, Book #2.5-2.6
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 120 Pages (approximate)
Pub. Date: Ebook Published 2011 by HarperTeen
Rating: 5/5

With "Old Habits," Melissa Marr returns to the ravishing world of Faerie with a story set between her bestselling novels Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity. Recently anointed king of the Dark Court, Niall struggles to forge a new relationship with his subjects—and with the former Dark King, Irial, his once-friend, once-enemy, and now possible-advisor.
"Stopping Time" is an exciting e-story original sequel to the bestselling Ink Exchange. Leslie walked away from the Dark Court, determined to reclaim her life and live it on her own terms—even if it meant leaving behind the two faeries who love her. She knows Niall and Irial watch over her, and she would give almost anything to keep them from hurting. But she resists the pull to be with either one of them. Someone knows about Leslie's past, however, and is intent on using her to reach the fey. And he doesn't care who gets hurt….

~My Review~

This was my first time reading these Ebooks. I bought them when they came out, but wanted to wait until I re-read the series so I would get them in context. I bought each separately, so I read Stopping Time first because it was published first, but I would suggest starting with Old Habits.

One of the things that troubled me when reading this series the first time was that Leslie's story seemed to drop of suddenly. I wanted to know more about what happened to her, and how the Dark kings dealt with her leaving. I was so happy to finally get that with these short stories.

Old Habits gave me more background on the Hounds and Niall's transition into leadership, as well as a deeper look into his relationship with Irial. There were also some story lines drawn between the Dark Court and High Court that I really liked.

Stopping Time gave me Leslie's continuing story and I don't want to spoil it by giving anything away, but I was very happy to know the boys didn't just leave her be.

Great, quick read that definitely added to the Wicked Lovely experience!

My Rating: 5/5

~ Other books in this series (click the name for review) ~

#1 Wicked Lovely, #2 Ink Exchange, #3 Fragile Eternity, #4 Radiant Shadows, #5 Darkest Mercy, - Novellas (Set between books 2 & 3): Stopping Time, Old Habits.

~ You'll like this series if you liked ~

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, Tithe by Holly Black, Need by Carrie Jones, Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton, or Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.

~Links 4 More~

Author Website: here
Add to your Shelfari: here
Add to your Goodreads: here
Buy it at Amazon (Kindle): here

Ink Exchange - 2nd Time's a Charm

Title: Ink Exchange
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely, Book #2
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 352 Pages (Paperback)
Pub. Date: Published 2009 by HarperCollins (first published 2008)
Rating: 5/5

To 17-year-old Leslie, the tattoo is a thing of indescribable beauty, a captivating mark that she must make her own. But this subtle web of eyes and wings brings with it a transformation that no sweet young girl would ever imagine or welcome. Like its predecessor, this stand-alone sequel to Wicked Lovely plunges its youthful heroine into a faery world of almost constant peril. A tantalizing urban fantasy that won't let go.

~My Review~

I am re-reading this series because the fifth and final book (Darkest Mercy) was just released.

This is Leslie's story. We met her in Wicked Lovely, but she was just a minor character. The first time I read the series the main character shift confused me, but now this is one of my favorites in the series.

Leslie is broken inside and is struggling to find a way to reclaim her confidence in herself, and in her body. She thinks that finally getting her tattoo will be the first step in taking her life back.

Niall knows how broken Leslie is, and how strong she is. Invisibly guarding her, and watching from a safe distance, his feelings for the human girl continue to grow. He knows it's dangerous to get close to her, but what if he's protecting her from someone much worse?

Irial had a much easier ride before the new Winter and Summer Queens arrived. Ruling the Dark Court - fey who secretly feed off of dark emotions (fear, anger, lust...) - was a lot easier while the other Courts were at war. Now, the peace between the other fey is threatening the strength of his own. Should he start a fight? Or will connecting with an unsuspecting human be the answer he is searching for?

I have to say that this book jumped up a few ratings after reading the series over again. For one, I now understand, and love, the changing M/C's - it gives so much more of the story than if we only saw the Summer Court. Leslie was a great heroin, easy to like, and with real problems. Niall was a nice mixture of Keenan and Seth for me, the creepy fairy who actually cares about the girl he is after. And of course I have a book crush on Irial in all his dark glory.

I already grew to love the twisted, beautifully creepy fey that Marr created in Wicked Lovely, and Ink Exchange amped it up another notch by delving into the Dark Court. The fey who need fear, lust, anger and other dark emotions to survive would be easy to label as the villains of this world, if not for this glimpse into the mind and heart of their king. Here's a quote from Irial that I loved,

"We are what we are, Niall, neither as good or as evil as others paint us. And what we are doesn't change how truly we feel, only how free we are to follow those feelings."

Oh and did I mentioned that there is a whole lot of unresolved feelings and issues between Niall and Irial? *Does eyebrow push-ups* Ah the complexity fills me with smiles. Now off to start the next book in the series!

My Rating: 5/5

~ Other books in this series (click the name for review) ~

#1 Wicked Lovely, #2 Ink Exchange, #3 Fragile Eternity, #4 Radiant Shadows, #5 Darkest Mercy, - Novellas (Set between books 2 & 3): Stopping Time, Old Habits.

~ You'll like this series if you liked ~

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, Tithe by Holly Black, Need by Carrie Jones, Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton, or Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.

~Links 4 More~

Author Website: here
Add to your Shelfari: here
Add to your Goodreads: here
Buy it at BookDepository (free shipping): here

B.J. Kenney

Wicked Lovely - Almost Perfect!

Title: Wicked Lovely

Author: Melissa Marr

Series: Wicked Lovely, Book #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 352 Pages (Paperback)

Pub. Date: May 1st 2008 by HarperTeen (first published 2007)
Rating: 4.5/5

~Book's Description from Goodreads~

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.

~My Review~

I am re-reading this series because the fifth and final book (Darkest Mercy) was just released.

In this story Ash is a teenage girl who has always had the sight - the ability to see the evil faeries that coexist with humans, unseen and dangerous. She lives by her grandmother's set of rules to keep her safe from the evils she can see. When Ash draws the attention on a very powerful faery boy, all of those rules are tested.

Alongside the mystery of the fey stalking Ash, we get to see her developing relationship with her friend Seth. Seth has always been her safe haven, but can Ash trust him with the truth - or with her heart? I love Seth, he's one of my all-time favourite book "heroes" (it may have something to do with being sexy and pierced).

I liked this book the first time I read it, and loved it the second time. I love Marr's writing style, I fell into the story and was wrapped up in her world. The characters are so easy to love - even the "bad" ones. The tone of the book is a bit darker, Marr doesn't pull any punches when it comes to her fey, they are creepy, beautiful, and very complex. I loved the mix of old faery mythology with her new world, it just worked perfectly for me.

This series just keeps getting better after this book, so definitely pick it up if you haven't read it yet. I looked over a few reviews and was surprised by the varying opinions. I feel as though I liked Wicked Lovely better after I read the other books, there is so much more to the story and the characters in it, that I couldn't fully appreciate the first book until I understood more about the world. That said, my original rating was 4/5 the first time I read it so it is great as a stand-alone too.

My Rating: 4.5/5

~ Other books in this series (click the name for review) ~
#1 Wicked Lovely, #2 Ink Exchange, #3 Fragile Eternity, #4 Radiant Shadows, #5 Darkest Mercy, - Novellas (Set between books 2 & 3): Stopping Time, Old Habits.

~ You'll like this series if you liked ~
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, Tithe by Holly Black, Need by Carrie Jones, Tyger Tyger by Kersten Hamilton, or Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.

~Links 4 More~

Author Website: here

Add to your Shelfari: here

Add to your Goodreads: here

Buy it at BookDepository (free shipping): here

Early Review - Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Title: Outside In

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Series: Insider, book #2

Genre: YA, Dystopian

Page Count: 320 Pages

Pub. Date: 02/22/2011

Rating: 5/5

*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

~Book’s Description From NetGalley~

ME?
A LEADER?
Okay, I did prove that there’s more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion—between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we’re free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again—while still touching base with Riley, of course. He’s the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there’s outside and then there is Outside.
And something from Outside wants In.

~My Review~

I absolutely loved Inside Out so I had high hopes for Outside in - and boy did it deliver. I love the dystopian genre and this series has definitely brought a great new flavor to the mix.

Outside In picks up shortly after the events of Inside Out (if you haven't read I.O. yet the rest of the review will contain spoilers) in the broken world of Inside, where the oppressors have been removed but the people are far from free.

One of the things I liked most about this book was its very existence. There are so many stories where the people fight to break free from oppression/dictatorship and the story ends along with the battle for freedom, but in this book, as in the real world, we know that the battle may be won but the war is far from over. I appreciated the realistic handling of how the Scrubs reacted to being "free" - they fought, they went on strike, and they were divided without a common cause.

I was very pleased with Trella's growth as a character and the development of her relationship with Riley. Much like Inside Out there are lots of new things for Trella to discover and tough choices for her to make. We get to see more from our favourite characters, as well as some colourful new ones.

Overall I enjoyed Outside In just as much as Inside Out and would definitely recommend you pick it up on February 22nd!

My Rating: 5/5

~ Other books in this series ~

#1 Inside Out, #2 Outside In

~ You'll like this series if you liked ~

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, Unwind by Neal Shusterman, or the Opal Cowen Series by Maria V. Snyder.

~Links 4 More~

Author Website: here

Add to your Shelfari: here

Add to your Goodreads: here

Buy it at BookDepository (free shipping): here

Inside Out - Quick Review

Title: Inside Out

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Series: Insider, book #1

Genre: YA, Dystopian

Page Count: 320 Pages

Rating: 5/5

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous - the only neck I risk is my own. Until I accidently start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution. I should have just said no...

~ My Review ~

I have been itching to read this book since I heard about it. Maria Snyder is one of my favourite authors and she definitely delivered with Inside Out! Trella is a very likable character and I was drawn into her world of pipes and hidden spaces until the last page.

In the future that is Trella's present, she lives as a "scrub" and has the job of cleaning the air, heating, and water pipes that run throughout the world she knows as Inside. She is a "lower" part of the labour class of people born into service for the "uppers" - those who control Inside.

Her best and only friend Cog is always hoping for an escape, something beyond Inside. Trella knows that hoping only leads to pain, so she takes on a dangerous task to prove to him, and to herself, that there is nothing out there.

The character and plot development were well paced and the ending was satisfying while still leaving room for more (book 2 will be released Feb. 22 2011).

If you haven't read this yet you are missing out on a fantastic dystopian novel.

My Rating: 5/5

 

~ Other books in this series ~

#1 Inside Out, #2 Outside In

~ You'll like this book if you liked ~

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, Unwind by Neal Shusterman, or the Opal Cowen Series by Maria V. Snyder.

The Vespertine - ARC Review

Title: The Vespertine

Author: Saundra Mitchell

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Page Count: 304 Pages

Pub. Date: 03/07/2011
Rating: 5/5

*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

~Book’s Description From NetGalley~

It's the summer of 1889, and Amelia van den Broek is new to Baltimore and eager to take in all the pleasures the city has to offer. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset—visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. However, a forbidden romance with Nathaniel, an artist, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own—still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him.
When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia's world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she's not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.

~My Review~

A tale of a girl who can see the future and how it brings her world down around her.

The cover art sold me on this one before I even read the first page, the writing is what kept me gripped until the end. I love it when the prologue gives away just enough to make you think you know what's going to happen without really giving you anything at all.

The book starts with Amelia locked in an attic with nothing but pen and paper to keep her company. She sees herself the monster - deserving of this fate - and then we start the story anew at the beginning of her first season in Baltimore.

Amelia's brother has sent her to her cousin in Baltimore to secure a profitable marriage, instead what she finds is a latent ability to see into the future through the sunset. She spends her summer telling fortunes, making friends, and falling for the wrong man - who is perfect for her.

Nathaniel has secrets of his own, and being a struggling artist should put him out of the running for Amelia's hand, but they are drawn to each other by forces neither can explain.

When her visions turn from frivolous to foreboding Amelia starts to question whether she is the seer of the future, or the cause of it.

The paranormal element is subtle with the forbidden romance and the suspense of Amelia's inevitable downfall driving the story. A wonderful and original book that adds a voice of its own to the YA genre.

My Rating: 5/5

~You'll like this series if you liked~

I would put this one in-between The Luxe by Anna Godbersen and A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray but with a much more satisfying ending than either series.

~Links 4 More~

Add to your Goodreads: here

Buy it at BookDepository (free shipping): here

Review of Entice by Carrie Jones

Title: Entice

Author: Carrie Jones
Series: Need, #3

Genre: YA, Fantasy (Faeries)
Page Count: 272 Pages
Rating: 5/5

(If you haven't read the first 2 books this review contains some spoilers)

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that’s not quite how things have worked out. For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he’s been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it’s taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla? And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there’s that other small problem: Zara’s been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn’t just turned… She’s Astley’s queen.

My Review:

I always love it when the damsel in distress becomes the hero. Zara - who has shown her inner strength, but has ultimately needed to be protected in the past - is now one of the protectors. She can now fight along with her allies and go out in search of her lost wolf.

Zara and Astley's relationship gets explored more in this book. I was solidly team Nick for the first two books, but I grew to love Astley in Entice. The humble but strong pixie king was patient and kind. We find out more about his past and his family and the heartbreaks that he has survived to get where he is. I kept wanting to know more about him until I found myself totally conflicted over who Zara should end up with.

The war brewing in the shadows of Bedford is intensified and Entice sets up what is sure to be an epic battle in the next book. There were tragic losses and intense victories keeping me on the edge of my seat.

I was thrilled with this chapter in Zara's story and I can't wait to read the forth and final book! I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes:

"My name is Zara White and I'm almost seventeen years old. I'm a pixie, and my boyfriend was killed by a pixie king with the ludicrous name of Frank."

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series:

#1 Need
#2 Captivate

You'll like this book if you liked:

Need by Carrie Jones, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Tithe by Holly Black, or The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.