Magic Under Glass (Review)

Magic Under: Magic Under Glass | Jaclyn Dolamore

Published by: Bloomsbury, February 1st 2010

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairy lore

Pages: 225

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Nimira is a music-hall performer forced to dance for pennies to an audience of leering drunks. When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. 

Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril. 

I had a kind of kerfuffle in the middle of this book, by which I mean I had a stress meltdown, threw the book away, and vowed never to read it again, not because the book had done anything wrong, but because the year is in that awful liminal time where I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. But spontaneous meltdowns aside, once I sat down and got proper into this book, I loved it.

The characters are lovely and driven, and the relationship is just so damn cute. Erris is trapped in the form of an automaton and, without knowing anything about his situation, only that he's trapped and needs help, Nimira vows to make him a man again. This book is just utterly, disarmingly charming. It's so lovely and cute and just what I needed. It was serious without feeling too serious, light without being vapid, had a lively world without massive descriptive dumps, and it was fantastical while still dealing with very real racial issues. There was even a mad wife stuffed in a tower and don't tell me that doesn't interest you (she's magically badass, communicates with the dead, and saves the day. she's my fave.)

Do yourself a favour and read this super cute book.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

The Replacement (Review)

The Replacement | Brenna Yovanoff

Published by: Simon & Schuster, January 1st 2011

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Fairy Lore

Pages: 375

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, Mackie comes from a world of tunnels and black, murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattoed princess. He is a replacement - left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago when it was stolen away by the fey. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world. Mackie would give anything just to be normal, to live quietly amongst humans, practice his bass guitar and spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem, where he must face down the dark creatures and find his rightful place - in our world, or theirs.

I could tell you about the wonderful writing of this book, about it's genuine, flawed characters and its imaginative, complex worlds, but sometimes those things don't make a book. Sometimes the things I usually get all critical about take a backseat for the way a book makes me feel, and this book has me aching.

I liked this book for half of it, really enjoyed it for the second half, and I only realised on the last page, with pressure behind my eyes and a heaviness in my chest, that I'd fallen in love with it. The Replacement took me completely off guard. 

 Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★★☆

Darkest Mercy (Review)

Wicked Lovely: Darkest Mercy | Melissa Marr

Published by: HarperCollins, March 3rd 2011

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 327

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Send the messengers for the Faery Courts. This is the end. 

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.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

Oh Darkest Mercy, where do I begin? Were you everything I wanted? Yes and no. You wrapped up most character and relationship threads the way I (mostly) wanted but you left the story right open and I didn't like that. Also what the hell happened to Devlin, Ani, and Sorcha? You can't just have a whole book about a character, then abandon them in the final book for a big battle.

I liked Darkest Mercy but I didn't love it like I loved all the other books. The battle was epic and awesome, but I'm not sure about the rest of the book. It felt a lot like the second half of a book, because all the build up had been in the previous four books, but I was still missing that first half. The calm before the storm, I guess. So I didn't enjoy this as much as I expected. It still had Marr's wonderful writing and her complex relationship dynamics, and I do love that everyone got their happy ever after but ... I was missing something. And what, exactly, was the point of the Shadow court? What did they do? Nada.

*sigh* At least my OTPs are endgame.

 Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★★☆

Radiant Shadows (One liner)

Wicked Lovely: Radiant Shadows | Melissa Marr

Published by: HarperCollins, April 20th 2010

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 340

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

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.

Radiant Shadows was enthralling. The danger and romance was an irresistible combination, and Devlin and Ani's chemistry was off the charts. Sad, terrified, and dying to read Darkest Mercy.

(okay so maybe that's three lines but shh)

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world building ★★★★★
Writing Style ★★★★★

Fragile Eternity (Review)

Wicked Lovely: Fragile Eternity | Melissa Marr

Published by: HarperCollins, May 1st 2009

Genre: YA, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

Pages: 389

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

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.

As lush and enchanting as Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange, the third in series didn't disappoint. It was dark and eerie, romantic and seductive, and always bound in the wonderful magic of Faerie. Though Ashlin began to frustrate me and Seth yet again didn't capture my love, my adoration of Niall, Keenan, and Donia was more than enough to keep me invested. With an introduction to the High Court and its monarch Sorcha, Fragile Eternity expanded the world of the previous books and brought to life a vast new realm of Faerie. I can't wait to see where the next books take us, and how Marr will further expand on the terrifyingly beautiful Courts and the imminent promise of War.

 Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★★☆

Wicked Lovely (review)

Wicked Lovely: Wicked Lovely | Melissa Marr
YA, Urban Fantasy, Mythology

Characters ★★★★★

Setting ★★★★☆

Writing Style ★★★★★

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. 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.

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.

REVIEW

Spellbinding, beautiful, deadly.

Wicked Lovely captivated me from the start. I was swept into a tale of danger, beauty, and the vibrant lore of the fair folk. As someone who is usually less than impressed by books with fairies, I was surprised to find myself in love with this book, and I discovered that I don't dislike all fairy books, but dislike when they are done badly. (I should probably point out that I began this series because I got the first book cheap, and also because the covers are stunning and purple. So I'd like to thank the cover designer for drawing me into this perfect world. All the awards, my friend, you should have them.)

What I loved about this book was that it took the original lore of the fae and it did it justice. The fairies weren't dainty, vapid, harmless creatures like most books I've attempted to read portray them. Melissa did fae well, capturing the true darkness of them and delivering a story that was new and old, anxiety-inducing and wondrous. The fairies of Wicked Lovely felt genuine, unlike most I have read in the past.

I am thoroughly impressed and hooked into this series. My heart has swelled, but been equally crushed. I have felt utter despair and desperation, but also exhilaration and adoration for every character in this book. Well. Perhaps not you Beira, you cruel, heartless, perfect antagonist. But Keenan and Donia, Aislinn and Seth - I loved them all, felt for them all, and needed them all happy and safe (*screeches* my babies!)

Four for you, Melissa Marr. You go Melissa Marr.