Sunday, 5 July 2009

Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

YA urban fantasy

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the 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. His 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; everything.


I thought the book was ok, but it stayed at ok. It was not bad, not great, well-written with a gripping story that made me go on. But afterwards it made me thinking, what if it would have been even better in English? Sometimes they just seems to simplify things in translations when it comes to children's and youth books. I guess I will not know that and it will stay at ok.

I like that this book had a darker tone and sometimes they brushed up against really dark things, those kinds of things that I don't even want to hear about in other books. But it really made this a darker story in it's way. It was a dark world when it came to humans, and it was a dark world where the fairies lived.

I liked Aislinn, I could not do what she does, walk around seeing fairies and not reacting, not even when she sees something awful. As for her friend and love interest Seth, I was kind of blah on him, didn't want to see them together. He could have been made into more, now I just saw him as someone who was there but that I didn't know that much about in the end.

The faeries then, the winter court was cold, I would like to know about that high court, those summer fairies were to lusty, and the dark court, well they are dark, and I want some info on them too. Keenan, him I liked, there was something to hope for. What a nice summer king, and how did he get a mother like that?! As for Donia, I liked the wolf and some things didn't add up in the end. All those girls, and why should anyone be more special in the end? As I said, they were sure lusty at that summer court.

I saw that book 3 is about them again so would be fun to read that one, and book 2 is about that dark king? Sounds cool to me.

This was a book that kept me reading and wondering about how it all would end, and it did surprise me in the end. She did well there, and Melissa Marr is a good author. A YA book worth reading.


23 comments:

  1. B,

    I have had this book on my 'tbr' shelf for some time now - but haven't gotten to it yet. :)

    Thanks for the review.

    M

    ReplyDelete
  2. I completely agree. I will read the next two but I'm not in a big hurry!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey B:

    I love the name Aislinn for a character and the cover art for this book is quite beautiful.

    Thank you for your review, it sounds like an interesting book.

    L

    ReplyDelete
  4. BTW - your new banner is beautiful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Blodeuedd,

    I've heard great things about this book, so maybe it was the translation that made it only okay for you. I say I'll get it sometime, but it's not likely that I actually will :).

    ReplyDelete
  6. I really enjoyed this one and it may have been better in English...I don't know. I have #2 to read this week, which is darker so hopefully when and if you read that one you'll enjoy it better!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have these three books as a part of my summer read - i hear Ok read to fabulous read...

    but I am liking the basicness of your review, you didn't sugar coat it - so i think I will end up liking this books - i am a big fairy fan..

    IS this a new review style for you - I am liking it if it is - just your thoughts - nice
    E.H>

    ReplyDelete
  8. I liked Wicked Lovely but Ink exchange is much darker. I liked it better.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I had pretty much the same reaction. I appreciated the unique-ness of the story, but felt that, ultimately, the story itself just wasn't that gripping. I actually liked the cover photograph more than the story inside... although I do agree that after you finish it, it does stick with you...

    (PS: For the record, I found the writing not overly simplistic, but not really complex, either.)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Blodeuedd, I have the first one and the second one. Thanks for review of this one... I am looking forward to this series.
    Awesome review of this one!!!
    Can't wait to see what you think about the second one!!!
    I hope you had a wonderful Sunday and have an awesome Monday!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Michelle,
    I got it read since it was a library book and I so have to go through those right now. I have been crazy borrowing.

    Alaine,
    next 2 if the show up, but in now hurry. But I am glad i finally got to read it since everyone was speaking about it. I can't believe I missed the library having it

    Lea,
    I know, Aislinn is such a pretty name. I love so many Irish names. And they did a great job with the cover, so inviting.
    Thanks :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. Amy,
    I do think so too, cos i felt it could have been better, and the tone was a certain way and I just wondered about the translation. A good one, but it made it more for teens, yes they were the group, but I have read adult fantasy that seemed to be directed towards 10 year olds. They haven't got it yet, not all are for those little children.

    Staci,
    Darker, now then is nice. I can't wait for that review. I do hope the library gets it cos now i fear I would just get the ok feeling in English too

    EH,
    Hm, just my thoughts, lol, I can honestly not say. It was just the way I happened to write it. I should compare it to other reviews to see what I did different.
    Nope can't sugar coat it, it was ok, and I am sure you could like it, some wicked fairies in there. Not a book that I feeel that anyone would really hate

    Linda,
    I am getting really curious about Ink exchange now, darker, hmm

    beth,
    Thanks for the comment. Perhaps the translation caught the tone of the book then. So hard to say when some love it and some say ok like me. Much I appreciated, and didn't like, well nothing. Still just ok.

    Cecile.
    Thanks. I do think you will like these books. They are nice, well the first one I read at least. Too bad I couldn't rave more about it but it was good. I am really liking Melissa Marr and I wonder what she would do with an adult book

    ReplyDelete
  13. I loved this book..the relationship between Keenan, Aislinn, Seth and Donia was great. Book two is more about Asilinn's friend Leslie and a bit darker. Really good as well.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mandi,
    Silly me, didn't put those names together. Had no idea who the 2nd book was about, but now i know. very curious since the dark court sure is dark!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I've not read this yet but I've heard a lot of mixed reviews. I may someday read them but I'm not in a huge hurry one way or the other.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Blodeuedd!

    I've got this book on request, sounds great to me being the YA freak that I am.

    Can't wait to get it!

    Dottie :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Dar,
    There do seems to be a lot of mixed ones. I haven't come across someone who disliked them though yet. Then again the people I know are those who would like this book.
    So one day if you come across it.

    Dottie,
    I can't believe that I didn't read YA before. Now I sure do, and it's fun. I so another in the library yesterday but no, focus on what I have ;)
    I am sure you will enjoy it a lot. I do like Keenan

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've seen this one around, but I've never read anything by this author. Thanks for the review!

    --Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anna
    Luckily I found this one in the library, I was really curious about it. And the cover is just lovely

    ReplyDelete
  20. Almost all of the things you're wanting to know more about you'll find out in the next two books ;)

    I read the English version and I felt like you, it was ok but not a great book. I feel almost exactly the same with the two other books in the series as well.

    ReplyDelete
  21. ladybug,
    So you read the Ebglish, hm, well then I guess it was just an ok book, still a great ok book that I enjoyed and I want to read more.
    Cos I do wanna know what happens

    ReplyDelete
  22. Perfectly said! just ok. I felt the same. I'll read the next 2 becasue I think they will be better. This one set the story in my opinion.
    Good review B!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I guess it was just ok then, I see that many have felt the same.
    But I still wanna read more

    ReplyDelete