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Marr, Melissa
11 Reviews
(4)
YA
Half-fae LilyDark Abernathy (Seven Black Diamonds) is "daughter of two worlds and two courts." She plans to broker peace between humans and fae by ascending the Hidden Throne, but someone of fae blood is still murdering humans. Can there be peace? Numerous viewpoints and forsaken plot threads somewhat muddy this political fantasy in which Lily learns that diplomacy--like family--is rarely tidy.
Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer
(4)
YA
Lilywhite, a fae-blood (someone of mixed fae/human heritage), discovers that she is part of the Sleeper Program, placed in a powerful position in the human world to aid the violent fae queen in the war between humanity and the Hidden Lands. The politics can get muddy, but the complex relationships, forbidden romances, and intense emotions will nevertheless sweep readers away.
Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Teagan White.
First, "you were small and trembling, and I thought you might be a little bunny." When "you kicked and squirmed...I thought you might be a lost kangaroo." A mom winkingly describes her journey to realizing "you are my baby." Animals, playful interpersonal-themed prose, a reassuring denouement, and a subdued palette are reminiscent of Margaret Wise Brown.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(4)
YA
After being struck by a hit-and-run driver, popular Eva can now envision people's deaths. This creepy ability comes in handy when her attacker begins killing other teens. Flimsy characterization and a one-note story line detract from this generic murder mystery, but guessing the villain's identity--and parsing his bizarre, vaguely religious rationale for murder--will keep crime-fiction fans engaged.
Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald
(4)
YA
The twelve stories in this collection vary substantially in length; the majority take place in the world of Marr's Wicked Lovely series, which will attract fans (though may deter the uninitiated). The tales set in "other worlds" are short and insubstantial. Overall, these well-told fairy tales with a gothic patina are engaging.
Reviewer: Natasha Gilmore
(3)
YA
Witches are in hiding from daimons of The City. Witch Mallory wants to be a normal teen, but she was raised for battle--and daimons know about her; Kaleb and Aya fight to rise above their castes in The City, where pleasure, power, and violence reign. Marr skillfully intertwines these characters' lives in a decadent fantastical world that feels startlingly real.
Reviewer: Jenn Matters
(4)
YA
The Faery Courts must unite to defeat Bananach in battle. But first, Seth, Aislinn, Keenan, and Donia must resolve their romantic stalemate, and Niall must overcome the madness of grief. Frequent point-of-view shifts detract somewhat from emotional investment in the exposition-heavy narrative, but the payoff is a resolution of every plot thread from the previous four books and romantic happiness for all.
Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian
(3)
YA
Devlin, the Fairy High Queen's brother/assassin, and Ani, the half-mortal hellhound, are both suffering the burden of strength coupled with disenfranchisement. Devlin's disobedience allows for Ani's existence but also results in mortal danger, particularly when the two become romantically involved. The book's crisis, romance, and solution are all eminently entertaining.
Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess
(4)
YA
Marr's eerie supernatural soap opera builds on the interpersonal and political intrigues established in Wicked Lovely. Aislinn, now the new Summer Queen, attempts to maintain her relationship with mortal Seth, whose bid to become a faery becomes part of a larger power struggle within Faerie. Though occasionally lacking direction, this sequel hooks readers with plenty of angst and strong emotional underpinnings.
Reviewer: T. Borregaard
(4)
YA
Leslie, a teenager seeking to forget her traumatic past, acquires a tattoo that, unbeknownst to her, makes her a living tool for the Dark King of the faeries. Heavier and more ambitious (if less enjoyable) than Wicked Lovely, this companion novel also centers on a love triangle but explores a bleaker emotional landscape, resisting a tidy ending.
Reviewer: Amy Lee Bennett
(3)
YA
Aislinn has always been able to see the faeries that walk invisible among humans, but she keeps her ability secret because the faeries are dangerous. Unfortunately, the Summer King targets her to be his next queen, forcing Aislinn to take action. Celtic folklore gets a modern twist in this eerie story told from three rotating points of view.
Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess
11 reviews
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