quippe | Entries tagged with melissa marr

The Blurb On The Back:

There are some stories that will always be told, tales as timeless as they are gripping.

There are some authors who can tell any story.

In RAG & BONES, award-winning and bestselling authors retell classic fairytales and twisted tales in the way that only they can. With magic and passion, they bring these stories - whether much loved or forgotten – back to life.

Read Sleeping Beauty as only Neil Gaiman can tell it. See Rumpelstiltskein through the eyes of Kami Garcia. And hear of Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would be King from the inimitable Garth Nix.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Tim Pratt and Melissa Marr’s anthology contains retellings of fairy tales and other classic short stories. Although marketed as YA, it’s interesting that the majority of the tales here feature adult characters and some of the source stories are quite obscure. As with any anthology, some stories are stronger than others but on the whole it’s an entertaining read that kept me turning the pages.

RAG & BONES – NEW TWISTS ON TIMELESS TALES was released in the United Kingdom on 22nd October 2013. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the free copy of this book.

The Blurb On The Back:

Images cluttered the page, but one tattoo set her nerves on edge: inky-black eyes surrounded by wings like shadows coalescing.

Mine. The need was overpowering. Leslie looked up.

‘This one,’ she said. ‘I need this one.’

But the image is more than just tempting art, and it draws Leslie into a world of shadows and desire – into the world of Faerie.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Melissa Marr’s sequel to WICKED LOVELY is a dark story that ties in the story of a rape survivor trying to take control of her life with the efforts of a dark court of magic to survive. It’s a slow read and very much a character story, but it’s also powerfully told and I always believed in the main character of Leslie and her struggle to reclaim her body. Although it won’t be a story for everyone, I found it an interesting book in the series and will definitely be reading on.

The Blurb On The Back:

Seth never expected to settle down forever – but that was before Aislinn. Unfortunately, forever takes on a whole new meaning when your girlfriend is a faerie queen ...

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures which had always terrified her – but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she’d ever imagined.

In Melissa Marr’s third mesmerising tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and to each other, in a world where one false step could plunge the Earth into chaos ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

An emotionally satisfying story that plays out against a politically complex backdrop, this is an absorbing read and well worth a look.

The Blurb On The Back:

Rule 3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries, although they would certainly blind her if they knew of her Sight. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world.

Rule 2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries.
But now faeries are stalking her. One of them, a beautiful boy named Keenan, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule 1: Don’t ever attract their attention.
Now it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King and has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost ...

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Melissa Marr writes well and maintains pace. I was interested in her main characters and in particular, the love triangle element that is drawn out in the story. The story itself is slighter than I’d hoped and as a reader, I would have really liked to see more time given to setting up the background history relating to Beria and what her motivations are as the lack of this left her a little flatter than the author perhaps intended. However, there are some very good set-pieces within the text (the carnival being a particular favourite) and the ending showed that Marr is not interested in conventional endings. I am interested in reading more of this author and look forward to the next book in this series.