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kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
First in the Wicked Lovely urban fantasy series for Young Adults and revolving around Keenan, the Summer King. The couple focus is on two couples: Keenan and Donia and Aislinn and Seth in Huntsdale.
In 2008, Marr won the RITA® Award by Romance Writers of America for Best Young Adult Romance and the DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Young Adult.
My Take
It's a game of cat-and-mouse as Aislinn tries to avoid the fae, to retain her independence, to see Seth.
Seems Seth is worried that if he pushes too hard, she'll run. This is one of the parts I am not buying. If Seth is such a ladies' man, why he is being so patient? And if Grams is so cool about Seth, then why does Aislinn worry that Grams won't let her see him? At least that's the impression I get. Wouldn't Grams appreciate that he lives in a steel house? I want to know what happened with Moira. Was Keenan hunting her back then? Is Aislinn Keenan's daughter? How will this affect the three-way that seems to be developing?
I love and hate that Keenan is so cocky. He's despicable in his faking to be what he thinks the girl wants, especially since he plans to revert once he has her. The one-way track that any girl he's interested in has no real choice. But I also feel for his position. He wants to do right by his people, by humans, and get out from under his mother. It's a tricky two-step.
It's an intriguing fae culture Marr has created. Just enough information to terrify, and not enough to inform. I want to know more about that binding. Why was it done? What kind of king is Irial? What's his stance in all this?
I can understand the events at the carnival, but I would have thought that Aislinn would know enough not to eat or drink anything from a fairy.
In spite of all men whining, I like the twist in this. Aislinn doesn't like Keenan and is determined to keep Seth. But she's changing, she has no choice. As for Keenan, he's so desperate for a Queen, for freedom and power. He has to love her. She has to be his Summer Queen.
The Story
It's been years and she's never let on to anyone. It's too dangerous, but it's getting worse. They're starting to track her, follow her, sniff her. And she caves, confessing what she can see to Seth. The man she loves whom she knows she can never have.
It's a confident, domineering Keenan who doesn't intend to change, not permanently anyway, and he's determined that Aislinn is his Summer Queen. She has to be. He needs his powers.
The Characters
Aislinn Foy, a.k.a., Ash, has the Sight and can't let a fae suspect it. Nor can she let her Grams suspect or she'll lose her freedom. Grams, Elena, is furious over Moira's death. Her daughter. The one who chose death over becoming a Summer Girl. Does this mean that Keenan is Aislinn's father?
Seth is very, very patient and lives in a series of train cars. Boomer is his boa constrictor. Glenn, Jimmy, and Mitchell are some of his friends.
Fellow students at Bishop O'Connell High School
Leslie, Rianne, and Carla are Aislinn's friends. Father Myers insists that Aislinn guide the new student around.
Keenan is the bound Summer King, looking for his true Queen. The Summer Girls are the humans who fell in love with Keenan but didn't want to take the test and include Eliza. His advisers: Niall is cunning and Tavish is the oldest.
Queen Beira is the Winter Queen, Keenan's mother, and a major bitch; she bound his powers and delights in tormenting him any way she can. She also murdered his father. Irial is the Dark King, and he's complicit for some reason in binding Keenan's powers.
Deadgirl is Donia, the Winter Girl, the last human who thought she was Keenan's queen. Sasha is the white wolf who protects Donia. Liseli and Rika are former Winter Girls. Evan is the rowan-man who so carefully guards Donia. The Eolas tell Keenan Aislinn is special.
Denny is a friend at the bar with whom she plays pool. Rabbit owns the tattoo shop.
The Cover
The cover is a very hazy gray with a clutched handful of pink and yellow pansies nestled in ice, the perfect blend of Summer and Winter. The title is a low-key green with vines sprouting from the letters, a metaphor for emerging summer.
The title is Keenan — he's Wicked Lovely with no morals.
In 2008, Marr won the RITA® Award by Romance Writers of America for Best Young Adult Romance and the DABWAHA Romance Tournament for Best Young Adult.
My Take
It's a game of cat-and-mouse as Aislinn tries to avoid the fae, to retain her independence, to see Seth.
Seems Seth is worried that if he pushes too hard, she'll run. This is one of the parts I am not buying. If Seth is such a ladies' man, why he is being so patient? And if Grams is so cool about Seth, then why does Aislinn worry that Grams won't let her see him? At least that's the impression I get. Wouldn't Grams appreciate that he lives in a steel house? I want to know what happened with Moira. Was Keenan hunting her back then? Is Aislinn Keenan's daughter? How will this affect the three-way that seems to be developing?
I love and hate that Keenan is so cocky. He's despicable in his faking to be what he thinks the girl wants, especially since he plans to revert once he has her. The one-way track that any girl he's interested in has no real choice. But I also feel for his position. He wants to do right by his people, by humans, and get out from under his mother. It's a tricky two-step.
It's an intriguing fae culture Marr has created. Just enough information to terrify, and not enough to inform. I want to know more about that binding. Why was it done? What kind of king is Irial? What's his stance in all this?
I can understand the events at the carnival, but I would have thought that Aislinn would know enough not to eat or drink anything from a fairy.
In spite of all men whining, I like the twist in this. Aislinn doesn't like Keenan and is determined to keep Seth. But she's changing, she has no choice. As for Keenan, he's so desperate for a Queen, for freedom and power. He has to love her. She has to be his Summer Queen.
The Story
It's been years and she's never let on to anyone. It's too dangerous, but it's getting worse. They're starting to track her, follow her, sniff her. And she caves, confessing what she can see to Seth. The man she loves whom she knows she can never have.
It's a confident, domineering Keenan who doesn't intend to change, not permanently anyway, and he's determined that Aislinn is his Summer Queen. She has to be. He needs his powers.
The Characters
Aislinn Foy, a.k.a., Ash, has the Sight and can't let a fae suspect it. Nor can she let her Grams suspect or she'll lose her freedom. Grams, Elena, is furious over Moira's death. Her daughter. The one who chose death over becoming a Summer Girl. Does this mean that Keenan is Aislinn's father?
Seth is very, very patient and lives in a series of train cars. Boomer is his boa constrictor. Glenn, Jimmy, and Mitchell are some of his friends.
Fellow students at Bishop O'Connell High School
Leslie, Rianne, and Carla are Aislinn's friends. Father Myers insists that Aislinn guide the new student around.
Keenan is the bound Summer King, looking for his true Queen. The Summer Girls are the humans who fell in love with Keenan but didn't want to take the test and include Eliza. His advisers: Niall is cunning and Tavish is the oldest.
Queen Beira is the Winter Queen, Keenan's mother, and a major bitch; she bound his powers and delights in tormenting him any way she can. She also murdered his father. Irial is the Dark King, and he's complicit for some reason in binding Keenan's powers.
Deadgirl is Donia, the Winter Girl, the last human who thought she was Keenan's queen. Sasha is the white wolf who protects Donia. Liseli and Rika are former Winter Girls. Evan is the rowan-man who so carefully guards Donia. The Eolas tell Keenan Aislinn is special.
Denny is a friend at the bar with whom she plays pool. Rabbit owns the tattoo shop.
The Cover
The cover is a very hazy gray with a clutched handful of pink and yellow pansies nestled in ice, the perfect blend of Summer and Winter. The title is a low-key green with vines sprouting from the letters, a metaphor for emerging summer.
The title is Keenan — he's Wicked Lovely with no morals.
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
I was not expecting to enjoy this story but I really did. I thought I would find the same ole YA fairy story, ah but it was so much more. First the characters are interesting, deep and have so many twists to them, making them riveting to read. Second, There is a deep friendship and romance, covered in a realistic manner. Not sickening sweet, but with thorns. Third, the fairy story had a nice fresh modern twist on an old tale. It was not the best but better than most. 3.6 stars
cosymilko's review
3.0
Aislinn is a girl who is normal in most aspects of her life except that she can see faeries. Not the cute little things that little girls dress up as but rather the human size, often cruel, dangerous yet beautiful creatures that wander around invisible to the normal human.
The Summer King has been following Aislinn with the intent of making her his Summer Queen. The Winter Queen will cheat to stop this using the Winter Girl as her pawn.
I enjoyed this book as a breath of fresh air from all the vampire romance novels around at the moment. The concept of the fey and people with the sight was rather unique although the execution of the plot not as unique as it could be.
I found myself hooked from start to end but where I'd anticipated that the dark lust, seduction and deception would continue... I was wrong. Towards the middle and end of the book the flat characters (there wasn't much development amongst them and they responded pretty predictably once you'd met them) and the plot lightened up. I'd expected a much more climatic ending and would have liked it better if there'd at least been some sacrifice on each of the Summer King and Queen's part. It was essentially a happy ending book and would make a great movie to rival anything from Disney.
I wanted to give it 4 stars and if the ending had been more dramatic I'd be more inclined to read the next in the series. For now, I'll only consider it if the books are on sale.
The Summer King has been following Aislinn with the intent of making her his Summer Queen. The Winter Queen will cheat to stop this using the Winter Girl as her pawn.
I enjoyed this book as a breath of fresh air from all the vampire romance novels around at the moment. The concept of the fey and people with the sight was rather unique although the execution of the plot not as unique as it could be.
I found myself hooked from start to end but where I'd anticipated that the dark lust, seduction and deception would continue... I was wrong. Towards the middle and end of the book the flat characters (there wasn't much development amongst them and they responded pretty predictably once you'd met them) and the plot lightened up. I'd expected a much more climatic ending and would have liked it better if there'd at least been some sacrifice on each of the Summer King and Queen's part. It was essentially a happy ending book and would make a great movie to rival anything from Disney.
I wanted to give it 4 stars and if the ending had been more dramatic I'd be more inclined to read the next in the series. For now, I'll only consider it if the books are on sale.
j_yoon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
byp's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. There's a real lack if tension in this book. Because we know the story immediately, and from multiple points of view, I was never in a hurry to know anything.
mellomorissa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
anethamroziova's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
x_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
Not the title I would have chosen for the book, but definitely a page turner.
jenny_hedberg's review against another edition
1.0
Excuse me, but what even was this? More tropes than I could have ever imagined. To be fair, it's got everything you could ever ask for from the YA genre, the good and the bad. It follows the theme of its contemporary fae novels: teenage Girl has fae heritage, dark and handsome stranger appears, love happens, but what about Girl's human Friend-who-wants-to-be-more-than-friends? I really didn't like this novel, especially not when there are so many other novels in this genre doing a better job of telling an interesting story without off-putting messages and ideas of what relationships are.