Ink Exchange, by Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely), by Melissa Marr: I have to admit, I was a little dubious about this book. When we met Leslie in Wicked Lovely, she seemed like an airheaded party girl...how could she possibly have the strength and depth of character to survive in Marr's fey world?

We find out that Leslie is just as strong, if not stronger, than Aislinn. Living with her drunk, absentee father and drug-dealing brother, she goes to great lengths to hide the dark turn her life has taken, lying to her closest friends and hiding deep scars from horrific betrayals to keep up appearances. She wants one thing and one thing only for herself; a tattoo, which she believes is the only step she can take to reclaim her body and spirit for herself.

But her desire for ink entraps her in the world of the fey, when she unknowingly chooses a design that will link her to Irial, king of the Dark Court, by way of an "ink exchange," which will feed the Dark Court with humanity's chaotic emotions.

So many times, when an author follows a story by way of different characters, there's a certain repetition, but not in this book. Leslie's story is both radically different and just as captivating as Aislinn's. I'm loving this author, and can't wait to read Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely).


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Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely, by Melissa Marr: Aislinn has a secret. She can see fairies. And they’re everywhere. So far, she’s managed to keep her head down –the fey don’t take kindly to mortals who can see them. But when the Summer King, Keenan, chooses Aislinn as his next Summer Queen—a position with potentially devastating consequences—she’s thrust into a centuries-old war, and nothing will ever be the same for her again.

I held off on this book for a long time, because a lot of ‘fairy’ books are the same, with just a change of character names. But this was a standout in a field of copycats. Not only was it beautifully written, but there was a really welcome romantic twist on the usual, “girl meets supernatural, immortal boy, falls in love…” storyline. Aislinn really shines as a strong, down-to-earth heroine, flawed at times but wonderfully brave. And as a bonus, I finally found out how to pronounce ‘Aislinn’ (Ashlyn, if you’re interested). If you’re thinking about venturing into the ‘urban fey’ subgenre of YA, this might not be the one to start on…you’ll be ruined on everything else.

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