 Starred
Review
Returning
to the
faery world of Wicked Lovely,
Marr serves up another highly
addictive read, this time
centering
on Leslie, a mortal girl
who made
a cameo appearance in that earlier
work as a friend of its
protagonist,
Aislinn. Broken by terrible trauma,
Leslie seeks to anchor her mind
from slipping into oblivion.
She finds salvation—or
so it
seems—in a strange
tattoo
that gives her power and strength
like she’s never
felt
before. But Leslie’s
euphoria
is short-lived, and the tattoo
comes with a shocking price.
Its ink has been laced with the
blood of Irial, king of the fey’s
Dark
Court.
Upon the tattoo’s
completion,
Leslie
will be bound to Irial as if
a slave, with Court rules forbidding
even Aislinn, the new Summer
Queen, and Summer King Keenan’s
guard, the handsome
Niall,
to sever this dark attachment.
Once
again readers will find a love
triangle that simmers, this time
among Leslie, Irial and Niall—all
of whom face
choices
that could cost them everything
they prize. Compulsive enough
to give
the Twilight series a run for
its money, and dizzyingly more
sinister.
Ages 12–up.
- Publishers
Weekly
Ink Exchange is a captivating,
well-told story. It’s haunting and
dark and lovely and amazing–just
as good as, and maybe even better
than Wicked Lovely (though I couldn’t
decide for sure). It’s a
darker story than its predecessor.
Melissa Marr creates a wonderful
story, dealing with serious topics
such as addiction and rape (yes,
it is a faery story, but these
are certainly not of the Walt Disney
variety!). There is also the same
fascinating mythology from Wicked
Lovely, and Melissa Marr again
shows her talents at creating wonderful
characters. This is yet another
brilliant book from a brilliant
author! I can’t wait for
her third
book, which will be a more direct
sequel to Wicked Lovely.-- Teen Book Review
I can think of few books that
should be required reading
for teenage girls, but this
is certainly one of them. It’s
painful, and it’s important.--
Sarah at Smart Bitches Who
Love Trashy Books
This story is enticing, and
to some, overwhelming. I would
have to say that this is not
a book for sensitive or young
readers, maybe around ages
twelve or thirteen. It’s
not some happy story filled
with dragons and the good guys
vs. bad guys, it’s dark
and exotic. It shows the ugly
things in life, pain and suffering,
but there are parts with happiness.
When I read it, I could see
it as clearly in my mind as
a movie. When I finished, I
was begging for more. When
you think of a smart girl,
Leslie can come to mind. She’s
strong and she’s smart,
though led by her emotions.
After all she went through,
she’s still sane, which
is a huge accomplishment. She
made this story what it is,
a book that I couldn’t
put down, it was so breathtakingly
brilliant. It’s a dark
story, but an entrancing one.--
Carol
at Smart Girls Rock
This
is a book I would have loved
to have read in my youth. It
meets all the requirements
my teachers wanted– literary,
social issues– but brings
everything I’ve ever
looked for in a good book– strong
heroine, fantasy, contemporary
setting. Ink Exchange will
get under your skin, make you
uncomfortable, and in the end
you’ll be changed for
it. Kinda like getting a tattoo.
-- Urban Fantasy Land
What
I liked in Wicked Lovely and
what I love love love in Ink
Exchange is how all of the
characters are not merely
good
or bad but have elements of
both and you can root for
all/both
of them.-- Sheryl (HS Librarian,
Texas)
Melissa Marr’s second
book ties in nicely with her
first, which chronicles the
Summer Court’s fight
against the Winter Queen. However,
Leslie’s story is compelling
on its own, as are the struggles
of the background characters
who have now taken center stage.
This dark, delicious triangle
radiates a passion that one
can almost taste on the tongue
as clearly as any member of
the Dark Court. I eagerly wait
to see who will feature in
the next tale of this enticing
faery world. --Allison Fraclose
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