Helpful Score: 3
Not nearly as good as Wicked Lovely, Marr's first book. I get that she likes the alternative ending "thing" but this one left me unsatisfied. And it seemed much darker than what I would constitute YA fiction.
Helpful Score: 2
This is the second book by Melissa Marr. It is in the same world as "Wicked Lovely" and many of the same characters are present. It happens after the events in "Wicked Lovely" but follows the story of Leslie one of Ash's friends.
Leslie is having a rough time; with a dad who constantly drinks and a brother who is always high, she has a tough time keeping it together. Things change when she decides to get a tattoo and gets drawn into a world of darkness she never even knew existed.
I liked Leslie's character better than Ash's character. Leslie had more depth and struggled against a darkness in her nature that was interesting. As for the rest of the story it was okay. The book is a quick read and I was never bored. Still there is something two-dimensional about Marr's writing style. The characters still feel a bit flat and the story is predictable. I don't really think the world is all that creative either. The deal with the tattoo was interesting and probably the most creative part of the book. The writing style is very straight-forward; nothing lush or even all that descriptive.
I feel like this is the beginning of a series involving Leslie. This book (although wrapping up the main story line) left many things hanging and left the reader wondering. I didn't feel like the story was as complete as "Wicked Lovely" was.
Overall, I am finding that Marr writes books that are quick, brainless, summer reads. They are okay and kind of engaging but nothing all that special. I am again going to recommend Holly Black's Fairy Tale series as a great replacement to this series. Also Charles DeLint's Moonheart duology is another great fairy book. In fact I like Pike's "Wings" better than this book too. So if you are looking for a good modern fairy tale I would check out those books.
Will I read the next book, "Fragile Eternity"? Maybe. I will probably get it from the library. As I said these are super quick reads, 3-4 hours tops, so it's not a huge investment for a little fun.
Leslie is having a rough time; with a dad who constantly drinks and a brother who is always high, she has a tough time keeping it together. Things change when she decides to get a tattoo and gets drawn into a world of darkness she never even knew existed.
I liked Leslie's character better than Ash's character. Leslie had more depth and struggled against a darkness in her nature that was interesting. As for the rest of the story it was okay. The book is a quick read and I was never bored. Still there is something two-dimensional about Marr's writing style. The characters still feel a bit flat and the story is predictable. I don't really think the world is all that creative either. The deal with the tattoo was interesting and probably the most creative part of the book. The writing style is very straight-forward; nothing lush or even all that descriptive.
I feel like this is the beginning of a series involving Leslie. This book (although wrapping up the main story line) left many things hanging and left the reader wondering. I didn't feel like the story was as complete as "Wicked Lovely" was.
Overall, I am finding that Marr writes books that are quick, brainless, summer reads. They are okay and kind of engaging but nothing all that special. I am again going to recommend Holly Black's Fairy Tale series as a great replacement to this series. Also Charles DeLint's Moonheart duology is another great fairy book. In fact I like Pike's "Wings" better than this book too. So if you are looking for a good modern fairy tale I would check out those books.
Will I read the next book, "Fragile Eternity"? Maybe. I will probably get it from the library. As I said these are super quick reads, 3-4 hours tops, so it's not a huge investment for a little fun.
Helpful Score: 2
My Rating: A+
Just... wow. This is such an excellent book. I was so excited when the bookstore called and said it was in and was completely excited to get back into this world that Melissa Marr has artfully and flawlessly created. Wicked Lovely was a great book but personally I think that Ink Exchange surpasses it's creativity in at least one way. And this is one of the things that made this book so completely wonderful for me.
I didn't know who to love and who to hate, and ended up caring so much for all of the characters involved. I was completely in love with Niall the whole book and so frustrated and scared for Leslie. Irial is such a great and well rounded character, it's actually beyond me to think that this person doesn't actually exist somewhere.
I do recommend that if you've not read Wicked Lovely you read it first. It's an A+ book as well, and you would be able to understand more if you had the set up that Wicked Lovely gives.
I highly highly recommend this book and this author. I have every intention of keeping my eye out for more from her.
Just... wow. This is such an excellent book. I was so excited when the bookstore called and said it was in and was completely excited to get back into this world that Melissa Marr has artfully and flawlessly created. Wicked Lovely was a great book but personally I think that Ink Exchange surpasses it's creativity in at least one way. And this is one of the things that made this book so completely wonderful for me.
I didn't know who to love and who to hate, and ended up caring so much for all of the characters involved. I was completely in love with Niall the whole book and so frustrated and scared for Leslie. Irial is such a great and well rounded character, it's actually beyond me to think that this person doesn't actually exist somewhere.
I do recommend that if you've not read Wicked Lovely you read it first. It's an A+ book as well, and you would be able to understand more if you had the set up that Wicked Lovely gives.
I highly highly recommend this book and this author. I have every intention of keeping my eye out for more from her.
Helpful Score: 1
Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
Torn up inside after her drug-dealer brother betrays her in the most horrible way, Leslie puts on a brave front with her friends, pretending her drunken dad isn't letting the bills pile up and hiding all her pain. Hoping to take back control over her body, she decides to get a tattoo, and picks out a special design at the tattoo parlor she often hangs out at. Unbeknownst to Leslie, that tattoo is the symbol of Irial, the king of the faerie Dark Court, designed to allow him to filter the unpleasant emotions that feed his court through her into him and his people.
As Leslie finds her vision changing and her feelings shifting in unpredictable ways, Niall, a faerie of the Summer Court who has always admired her, steps in, hoping to help her and keep Irial away. He has his own tangled feelings about Irial, whom he once counted as a friend. But as Leslie sinks further under Irial's thrall, enjoying the escape from the hurt and fear she'd been living with, only she can decide when to pull away--or whether she would rather stay with him, after all.
INK EXCHANGE is a darkly imaginative novel set in the same world as Marr's first novel, WICKED LOVELY. Readers will enjoy exploring the lives of some of that novel's minor characters and seeing more of the shadowy side of the faerie courts. They may find Leslie, Niall, and Irial less engaging than the spirited and perhaps more sympathetic narrators of WICKED LOVELY, but the trio still make for a fascinating "love" triangle as each deals with conflicting emotions and tries to decide what is right both for him or herself and for those who are counting on them.
The imagery is striking and evocative, and the politics of the different faerie courts is intriguing to explore. A great book for dark fantasy fans.
Torn up inside after her drug-dealer brother betrays her in the most horrible way, Leslie puts on a brave front with her friends, pretending her drunken dad isn't letting the bills pile up and hiding all her pain. Hoping to take back control over her body, she decides to get a tattoo, and picks out a special design at the tattoo parlor she often hangs out at. Unbeknownst to Leslie, that tattoo is the symbol of Irial, the king of the faerie Dark Court, designed to allow him to filter the unpleasant emotions that feed his court through her into him and his people.
As Leslie finds her vision changing and her feelings shifting in unpredictable ways, Niall, a faerie of the Summer Court who has always admired her, steps in, hoping to help her and keep Irial away. He has his own tangled feelings about Irial, whom he once counted as a friend. But as Leslie sinks further under Irial's thrall, enjoying the escape from the hurt and fear she'd been living with, only she can decide when to pull away--or whether she would rather stay with him, after all.
INK EXCHANGE is a darkly imaginative novel set in the same world as Marr's first novel, WICKED LOVELY. Readers will enjoy exploring the lives of some of that novel's minor characters and seeing more of the shadowy side of the faerie courts. They may find Leslie, Niall, and Irial less engaging than the spirited and perhaps more sympathetic narrators of WICKED LOVELY, but the trio still make for a fascinating "love" triangle as each deals with conflicting emotions and tries to decide what is right both for him or herself and for those who are counting on them.
The imagery is striking and evocative, and the politics of the different faerie courts is intriguing to explore. A great book for dark fantasy fans.
Helpful Score: 1
First of all I must start by saying that Melissa Marr is an extraordinary writer. This is the most riveting story I have read in a long time. Well, since her first release Wicked Lovely that is. She has this special talent that makes it feel like the words are just dripping off the pages. I didn't rush through this one and took my time, which means not devouring it in one night.
We still see the characters from Wicked Lovely, but we're introduced to a whole new cast. They are a dark and gritty group of characters each with an even darker past. I really felt for Leslie. She is trying to break away from her haunting past, and she hopes that with the help of her new tattoo that she will be the one in control of her life. But she ends up being taken advantage ofagain. She's sucked into the Faery world, which is what her best friend Aislinn, the Queen of the Summer Court, was trying to prevent.
Niall is my favorite, he's beautiful even though scarred, and he truly cares for Leslie who he is supposed to be watching for the Summer Court. He wants to protect her, but with the King of the Dark Court after her it's pretty much impossible once the tattoo has been placed in her skin. It really tugged at the heart strings to see Niall struggle with saving Leslie, and going against his King and Queen's wishes.
Irrial, the King of the Dark Court is evil, and is in the middle of a power struggle with the other courts. He just wants his Fey to survive, and in order to do that they will have to feed through Leslie. With the help of the tattoo tying her to the Dark Court they can feed on her emotions like fear, hate, greed, lust and any other horrible feelings humans hold. Irrial claims to love and promises to protect Leslie, which you can actually see throughout the story. But he ends up using her and hurting her as deeply, if not more, than those men from her past.
The ending really snuck up on me. I didn't want this book to end, and was disappointed when it did. Leslie's story is cleaned up, and she has moved on. But Niall's story seems to just be beginning. I'm wondering where the next book will take us, especially since they are supposed to be stand alone books.
We still see the characters from Wicked Lovely, but we're introduced to a whole new cast. They are a dark and gritty group of characters each with an even darker past. I really felt for Leslie. She is trying to break away from her haunting past, and she hopes that with the help of her new tattoo that she will be the one in control of her life. But she ends up being taken advantage ofagain. She's sucked into the Faery world, which is what her best friend Aislinn, the Queen of the Summer Court, was trying to prevent.
Niall is my favorite, he's beautiful even though scarred, and he truly cares for Leslie who he is supposed to be watching for the Summer Court. He wants to protect her, but with the King of the Dark Court after her it's pretty much impossible once the tattoo has been placed in her skin. It really tugged at the heart strings to see Niall struggle with saving Leslie, and going against his King and Queen's wishes.
Irrial, the King of the Dark Court is evil, and is in the middle of a power struggle with the other courts. He just wants his Fey to survive, and in order to do that they will have to feed through Leslie. With the help of the tattoo tying her to the Dark Court they can feed on her emotions like fear, hate, greed, lust and any other horrible feelings humans hold. Irrial claims to love and promises to protect Leslie, which you can actually see throughout the story. But he ends up using her and hurting her as deeply, if not more, than those men from her past.
The ending really snuck up on me. I didn't want this book to end, and was disappointed when it did. Leslie's story is cleaned up, and she has moved on. But Niall's story seems to just be beginning. I'm wondering where the next book will take us, especially since they are supposed to be stand alone books.
