Radiant Shadows

Radiant Shadows
by Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely, book 4

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 her 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 impails the whole of Faerie. Will saving the Faery Realm mean losing each other? (description taken from Amazon.com)

I really enjoy this series, though I was a little leery after reading Fragile Eternity (book 3). That book was good...but it didn't completely flow. I kept putting it down and not being sure I really wanted to pick it up again, though by the end, I loved the storyline.

I find the Wicked Lovely world compelling. I love dark fae and dark magic and Marr has a way of making both her humans and fae fascinating in their darkest moments. Of the series so far, I think that Wicked Lovely and now Radiant Shadows are my favorite volumes.

In this book, Ani and Devlin both ride the line of "people" who can and have done very bad things, and yet want to be good. Their passion for doing the right thing and finding and keeping each other is palpable. It leapt right off the page and I found myself frantically trying to finish this book in one sitting. I did not want to stop reading!

I really loved to, beyond their romance, the upheaval and resettlement that takes place in the larger Fae realms. I don't want to spoil this for anyone, but there were some really good betrayals, loyalty tests, and political maneuverings in this book. With the way it ended, I am very, very curious to see where Marr plans to take this in the final fifth book.