Ink Exchange

Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperCollins
Released: April 1, 2009 (paperback)
Genre: Paranormal YA
Series: Wicked Lovely

I broke one of my big rules: I didn't finish reading a book. I just couldn't get into the story, couldn't bring myself to care for the characters. Part of that may be because the main characters in Ink Exchange are peripheral characters in Wicked Lovely - which I expected, but these are really peripheral. Leslie didn't play much of a role in the first book, so I had to approach this like a first book itself, not like the second in a series. Once I did that, actually, I did start caring about Leslie, but there was too much - or too little- else going on to really get my attention. Especially Irial - maybe he gets better later on, but honestly, I couldn't stomach reading so much from the point of view of a sadistic, cruel, unforgivable character. Events start happening pretty quickly in this book, but I couldn't see a clear picture of where they were going, and by the time I get to page 100 of 320 pages and I don't know what the main problem is, what the characters' motivations are, I lose interest, Which is what happened here. I'm not saying that this is a bad book, I'm saying that it might get better further in, but I think a book has to make you want to keep reading until you get to that point.

I'm really disappointed, because I wanted to read more about Aislinn and Kennan and Seth and Donia. But that whole bit is peripheral in this book, so I didn't get to see more of their relationships. So this didn't really do it for me.

Wicked Lovely

Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperTeen
Released: May 1, 2008
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Author's Website: http://www.melissa-marr.com/

Aislinn has always been able to see faeries - vicious, vindictive creatures who would gouge her eyes out if they knew she saw them. She's learned how to behave so that they have no idea she sees, hears, and feels them, unlike other humans. But when a powerful faery approaches her, every rule her grandmother taught her goes up in smoke, and Aislinn finds herself entangled in a centuries-old battle between the faery Winter Queen and Summer King, swept up in events beyond her control. With help from her friend-who's-no-more-than-a-friend Seth, Aislinn has to make a choice, a difficult choice that will impact not just herself but faeries and mortals as well.

I was drawn into the story almost from the very first page, as soon as Aislinn reacted to the faeries that no one else could see. Partly because I approached the story expecting little winged creatures spreading light, I was intrigued by the presentation of faeries as dangerous, nasty creatures to be avoided at all costs. Melissa Marr portrays both sides of the equation really well, though - so that as the reader, I felt Aislinn's dread for faeries and saw them as she did, but when the story is told from Keenan's or Donia's point of view, I saw that maybe it's not as simple as Aislinn's grandmother has led her to believe.

What drew me into the story was not only the vivid writing style that brings every part of it to life. The plot is really compelling as well, and just enough information is revealed at just the right moments to make the pages turn faster and faster. It's interesting,because there's not a lot of action, and at the same time there's not a lot of downtime. But the pacing is awesome, and I never felt slowed down.

So when I put down the book, I sighed and thought - I can't wait to start the next book. But here's the funny thing - after a few hours, thinking about Wicked Lovely, I realized that I wanted to know more about the characters. The story follows four characters, each one equally important, and I didn't feel satisfied with the ending, with how everything turned out. I can't say much about that without spoiling it, but I will say this: From the description Melissa gives of Ink Exchange, the second book (in the bonus material at the back of the book), I think my concerns with how Wicked Lovely ends are addressed in the following books. Melissa says that each book follows different characters, so I hope that the loose ends are tied up. Now I'm wondering - maybe that was the point!