Book Review: Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

Title: Ink Exchange
Author: Melissa Marr
Series: Wicked Lovely #2
Release Date: May 1 2008
Publisher: HarperTeen
Previous Books In Series:
Wicked Lovely
My Source: Library (audiobook)

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Goodreads Summary:

To 17-year-old Leslie, the tattoo is a thing of indescribable beauty, a captivating mark that she must make her own. But this subtle web of eyes and wings brings with it a transformation that no sweet young girl would ever imagine or welcome. Like its predecessor, this stand-alone sequel to Wicked Lovely plunges its youthful heroine into a faery world of almost constant peril. A tantalizing urban fantasy that won't let go.

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My Review:

I listened to this book on CD, but I don't believe that affected my review or perception of the book. It was a good choice of a book to listen to- the narrator's voice wasn't annoying at all, and it was easy to follow, so I would recommend the audiobook, if you prefer to listen to books rather then read them (something I rarely do).

This is the second book in the Wicked Lovely series. I read the first book, Wicked Lovely, over two years ago, and I don't even remember most of it, though I didn't really love it, I didn't hate it either. I've been meaning to pick up the second one ever since then, and now I finally have.

This book is strange, not a typical YA romance story at all, which I really liked. The plot focuses around Leslie, who has a terrible past that always haunts her. She chooses to get a tattoo that draws her to Irrial, the king of the dark faery court. Figuring out how the faery courts work was a little confusing, probably since it's been a little while since I read the first book. I definitely recommend reading that one first even though this is a companion novel, not a sequel. It deals with some pretty intense stuff. I felt like Leslie was only a pawn in the true plot, she had no real say in anything that happened, except the ending. The conflict is really about Irial, the king of the Dark Court, and Naill a faery of the summer court whose alleigences are tested once he finds himself assigned to guarding Leslie. Naill was easily my favorite character, he was tortured and confused, but powerful too. I loved what happened at the end with Naill.

I would caution that this book is very dark, and I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a lighter faery read. It seems like there's no moral standard in the faery world, and this proves quite disturbing at times. There was no resolved feeling by the end of all the drama either. It was like the end came and Melissa Marr said, neither side is good or bad, nobody wins, the end. I get the point, but I like having more of a resolved feeling.

It's difficult to explain, I just feel like nothing really happened with the plot- most of the book was the same things happening repeatedly. It became predictable and sometimes boring. I didn't love any of the characters enough to make the tensions worth it. The romance was flat too- I didn't see why Irial, or Naill, was ever really attracted to Leslie. And she was such a messed-up girl, it just worked weirdly.

Overall, I just wasn't really impressed, but in that way, it was a lot like Wicked Lovely. If you enjoy darker paranoraml fey stories, this is a decent series. I'll probably get the 3rd book on CD also.

3 out of 5

Cover: 3.5/5 Pretty standard, not hugely attention grabbing, but decent.