Book Review: Ink Exchange

TITLE: Ink Exchange
PART IN SERIES: Book 2 of the Wicked Lovely Series
AUTHOR: Melissa Marr
PUBLISHED: 2008
GENRE: Young adult, series, faeries, fantasy
PREMISE: Leslie gets a tattoo on her back and finds herself drawn into a world of dark faeries.
MY REVIEW: I admit, it took me a little more time to get into this then it did Wicked Lovely. Mostly because I was getting used to Leslie instead of Aislinn. Once I got used to her though, I ended up loving this just as much as Wicked Lovely, if not a tad bit more because I found Leslie more enjoyable then Aislinn (who occasionally got on my nerves).
Marr's writing is still solid and she manages to weave a complicated tale without going overboard or subpar. It is also not just simply a different version of Aislinn with different guys. Leslie manages to be her own character and her story turns out much differently then in Wicked Lovely. Romantics may not appreciate the ending, but I loved it because Marr wasn't afraid to go a different route. I also appreciate that she doesn't sugarcoat faeries: these are dark creatures and their court is vastly complicated and not always pretty.
So, if you loved Wicked Lovely, chances are you'll love this just as much. I can't wait to read the next two. The fourth one just came out in April for those who don't know and there is apparently plans for a fifth book, called Darkest Mercy. No word yet on when this will be out.
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of faerie books, if you liked the first one, fans of Tithe
MY RATING: Four and a half out of five faerie wings

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12 by 12 in May
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YA Challenge
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