*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of Media Masters Publicity
Book Description
Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.
Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.
Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries’ coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani’s death.
Ani isn’t one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin’s plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?
Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in Melissa Marr’s next volume of Melissa Marr’s New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.
Book 4 in The Wicked Lovely Series
Review:
Main Characters/POVs: (courtesy of WickedLovely.com)
- Ani: The central character of the book, Ani is a Halfling. She is the daughter of Gabe, and has recently come to live with the Dark Court as a result of her ability to "feed" off humans, using their negative feelings for sustenance. Up until that time, she lived with Rabbit and Tish, her half-siblings, in Rabbit's tattoo shop. She is 16 years old and known to be a bit of a wild child.
- Devlin: Devlin was created by Sorcha and Bananach. He is a balance of their opposing forces, and is currently working for Sorcha in Faerie as brother, confidant, and assassin.
- Rae: Rae is a mystery. She is not a faery or a mortal, or anything Melissa Marr has written about before. Devlin is the only person in the faery world who knows her.
RADIANT SHADOWS is a love story between Devlin and Ani. From the first moment these two met, I knew I was hooked in a way that I haven’t been since Ash and Seth (I was disappointed when I realized that Ash and Seth wouldn't be the focus of RADIANT SHADOWS, but that disappointment didn't last). There was a raw desire that pulsed from every scene and every stolen kiss Ani and Devlin shared. Their union was forbidden by every conceivable authority; Devlin knew it and struggled to keep his distance. Ani saw the illicitness of their relationship and craved it the more for it.
There are a few missteps in RADIANT SHADOWS. Ani's dialogue often comes across too juvenile and desperate when she talks with Devlin. I much preferred her internal thoughts. And then there's Ani's Steed. In the human world is takes the form of basically any vehicle she wants, but talks telepathically with her like some annoying kind of Kit from Knight Rider.
Fans of the entire Wicked Lovely series will appreciate the various storylines from each previous book that Melissa Marr picks up and weaves together in this latest installment. New readers, however will probably be confused by the numerous characters and intricate back stories.
My Final Say: Mixing folklore, faerie mythology, and sweeping romance, Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series continues to be a must read. RADIANT SHADOWS has set the stage for an showdown of epic proportions in the next book. Already I can empathize with Ani’s insatiable hunger while waiting for Darkest Mercy (the working title for book 5 in the Wicked Lovely series).
Sexual Content: (YA titles receive a more thorough breakdown) Kissing, implied sex. References to sex. Vague references to homosexuality.
My Rating (out of 5):
Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & pre-order the sequel.
Click HERE to read an excerpt of RADIANT SHADOWS
Product Details
Reading level: Young Adult
- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins (April 20, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0061659223
- ISBN-13: 978-0061659225
Disagree with my review? Contact me your review for this or any other book I’ve reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review
First I really love the Wicked Lovely series and right now I'm reading the book Radiant Shadows and I was wondering if someone could tell me who Chela is in the book cause I never really remembered reading about this character in the other books.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I was reading the review and thought I might be able to help answer your question. Chela is a dark court faery as well as a hound. She is Gabriels semi-regular partner and kind of acts as a maternal figure for Ani. Hope this answered your question!
ReplyDeleteI started reading Radient Shadows this afternoon, finally have got a chance now that school is over!
I am up to pade 166, where Devlin says that if it was Ani or Faerie he would choose faeries best interests!
Feel like crying and slapping Devlin at the same time!