Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1)

by Melissa Marr (Goodreads author)

book data

4,616 ratings, 3.85 average rating, 1,026 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		29%
4		36%
3		25%
2		6%
1		2%

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published

May 31st 2007 (first published 2006) by HarperTeen

binding

Hardcover, 328 pages

characters

Aislinn, Keenan, Seth

isbn

0061214655 (isbn13: 9780061214653)

description

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn...more

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Best urban fantasy

119 books | 251 voters

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 7,268)

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06/06/07

Nadia rated it:

bookshelves: actuallyread

Read in June, 2007

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. I mean, usually when a book is hyped up a lot my immediate reaction is to roll my eyes and wonder if it's worth the hype (I didn't start reading the Harry Potter series until the third one was already out - and then I read them all in one sitting). So, I'm a book-cynic and was worried that I would mind-trash this baby.

Ok, first of all -- the most gorgeous cover ever. Provocative, beautiful, and... well, well done Harper Collins. H...more

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04/21/08

Kiera rated it:

Read in April, 2008

recommends it for: people who liked *Twilight*,

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I loved the premise of this book- and invisible world of faeries that are about as unlike Tinkerbell as you can get. Unfortunately, the dropped plot lines and somewhat flat nature of the supporting characters was disappointing.

The faeries in this story are spiteful, cruel, and yes, wickedly beautiful. Aislin, the star of this urban fantasy, is a junior in high school with the unusual ability to see the faeries no one else can. She has been tortured by this knowledge her entire l...more I loved the premise of this book- and invisible world of faeries that are about as unlike Tinkerbell as you can get. Unfortunately, the dropped plot lines and somewhat flat nature of the supporting characters was disappointing.

The faeries in this story are spiteful, cruel, and yes, wickedly beautiful. Aislin, the star of this urban fantasy, is a junior in high school with the unusual ability to see the faeries no one else can. She has been tortured by this knowledge her entire life and has been taught by her grandmother (a fellow seer) never to acknowledge their presence. Aislin goes about her life trying hard to ignore the atrocities she witnesses and the cruel acts that these barbaric faeries commit. So far, no faery has ever noticed her and she has remained as unknown to the faery world as it is to the humans. That is, until the day the Summer King, Keenan, picks up on a certain "vibe" from Aislin and decides she is "the one."

SPOILER ALERT!!!! While the details of the faery customs, dress, language, and history were well-developed, the author failed to make her human characters as compelling. Besides the relationship between Aislin and her boy-but-just-a-friend Seth, the humans in the story are either boring, do not progress the plot in any way, or are cliched teenagers. Most annoying was the introduction of several seemingly important plot points that went nowhere. Case in point (and here comes the spoiler) the revelation near the end of the book that Aislin's mother was also courted by Keenan. This fact, when first presented during a stressful time when the main characters are working towards a resolution, seems rather important. If nothing else, it would make sense, given her character's history, that Aislin would have *some* kind of reaction to this news. Rather, the characters move on to the next bit of action and by the end of the book, that plot point has been completely abandoned. Did some key dialouge get edited out in the final draft? Who knows. It was this inattention to developmental details of the story like the above that left me scratching my head and wondering what the editor was thinking.

Overall, however, it is a fluid read with a steady pace and enough sexual tension and drama to keep most teens and adults turning the pages. The use of the F-bomb and an oral sex scene make it more suitable to older teens. (less)

Like this review? yes (9 people liked it)

1 comment

02/19/08

Kirsti rated it:

Read in February, 2008

Oy vie! What a horrible book. I decided to change it's title to "Beautiful and Vapid Hormones" Melissa Marr held so much promise for a feisty female protagonist, willing to fight the allure of immortal beauty and power for our mundane yet necessary mortality. Sadly, Aislinn (the main character) faded into nothingness in the last few chapters. It seemed as though Marr couldn't sacrifice either of the two worlds for her Aislinn and so gave her both, which in my opinion, gives her nothing...more

Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

7 comments

04/30/07

Karin rated it:

bookshelves: faeries, youngadult

Aislinn has always followed the rules. Her Grandmother has drilled them into her since she was a young child. Don't stare at invisible faeries. Don't speak to invisible faeries. Don't ever attract faeries' attention. Aislinn has developed the skill to ignore them. She walks passed them without flinching even when the faeries are pinching or touching others around her like they love to do.

Faeries come in many shapes and sizes and Aislinn has seen them all. She's ...more Aislinn has always followed the rules. Her Grandmother has drilled them into her since she was a young child. Don't stare at invisible faeries. Don't speak to invisible faeries. Don't ever attract faeries' attention. Aislinn has developed the skill to ignore them. She walks passed them without flinching even when the faeries are pinching or touching others around her like they love to do.

Faeries come in many shapes and sizes and Aislinn has seen them all. She's seen them in the glamours they wear in order to pass as humans and can pick one out of a crowd even when they are trying to blend in. Aislinn has never been surprised by what she has seen them do – that is, until they start breaking the rules.

Faeries don't like steel. It causes them pain and weakens them. Because of that, Aislinn's "safe" place has always been Seth's house. Seth is a long time friend who happens to live in a converted steel train car. Aislinn always knew if she could make it there she'd have peace because the faeries could never follow her into the train yard. But, something has changed. They are creeping closer and closer and paying more attention to her. They are even gathering outside Seth's place.

Aislinn really begins to worry when two faeries, Keenan and Donia, approach her and speak directly to her. She gets away from them as quickly as possible now hyperaware of the growing number of faeries surrounding and following her. She hears them say things like, "Do you think she's the one?" Aislinn realizes that in order to figure out what they want from her she is going to have to break the rules she's grown up with all her life.

Keenan is the Summer King. His mother, the Winter Queen, has limited his powers and is slowly taking over the elements. Days are colder and eventually everything will be covered in ice, unless, Keenan finds the girl who is meant to be his Summer Queen. Together they would have the power to overcome the Winter Queen's chill. Keenan thinks Aislinn is the one and she is in danger because of it. The Winter Queen will do everything she can to prevent her son from getting the power he needs to overthrow her. Another problem of course is Aislinn doesn't want to be Summer Queen. She has avoided faeries all her life and she sure doesn't want to become one now. Especially when her feelings for Seth have developed into more than friendship and becoming the Summer Queen would mean spending an eternity with Keenan.

Melissa Marr has written a wonderfully inventive story that incorporates actual quotes from books written on the subject of faeries dating back to the 1800's. Her ability to keep a complicated story with several important characters clear to the reader is phenomenal. The relationship she creates between Aislinn and Seth is heartwarming, leading the reader to fall in love right along with them. If you aren't usually a fan of faerie stories, you might want to give this one a try. The blending of the realistic world and the world of the fey is masterfully done. You'll almost believe faeries are all around you.

(less)

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01/13/08

Thornsmoke rated it:

bookshelves: urban-fantasy

Readable but bland.

Most of my dissatisfaction with this book stems from the fact that what passes for a plot with Wicked Lovely would have been used as a sub-plot in any other. It can be summarised like this:

KEENAN: [gives Aislinn a choice between two options]
AISLINN: [flees]
SETH: [waits for Aislinn]
KEENAN: [waits for Aislinn]
DONIA: [waits for Aislinn]
BEIRA: [issues occasional Ursula-like threats]
AISLINN:
AISLINN:
AISLINN: [ma...more

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05/25/08

Res rated it:

bookshelves: didnt-finish, sff

Read in May, 2008

The one where Aislinn can see faeries that no one else can see, and they're awful. But the young Summer King, Keenan (srsly, Keenan), wants her to be his queen, and if things go wrong, they're going to go very wrong.

I described this book to someone as "like mediocre fanfiction," and now I'm trying to pin down exactly what that means. First, of course, it means the book is quite self-indulgent when it comes to everyone being Special and having special names and special facia...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

3 comments

12/28/08

Piecesofglass rated it:

bookshelves: otherworldly, young-adult

Read in December, 2008

Where do I start...
This book had me from the very moment I started reading. I just knew it would be something out of the ordinary.

17-year old Aislinn (how to pronounce that name?), or "Ash", is not like other girls. She can see fairies. And not good fairies, fairies that fight and do all kinds of bad stuff. She's learned how to control herself, how to not seem scared and to not start running as they approach; that only triggers them. The fairies doesn't know about her...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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03/24/08

Heather rated it:

bookshelves: kids-ya, sci-fi-fantasy

Read in April, 2008

recommends it for: fantasy lovers, unrequited loves, dreamers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Overall, I liked it. There are few threads of plot that I think could have been left out--or better yet, developed to make this a better book, such as what happened to Aislinn's mother, unless they're going to be further developed in later books, which I admit is a possibility. Still, I don't buy the total lack of reaction Aislinn has to the information that her mom was the girl Donia referred to who died to escape being either a Summer or Winter Girl. I'd have thought it would have some bear...more

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03/03/08

Katya rated it:

bookshelves: urban-fantasy

Read in March, 2008

Maybe it was because I'd just finished reading Holly Black's Valiant and Ironside, two of my favorite books in this genre, but I really did not think very highly of Wicked Lovely. Compared with Black's books, I found this one to be badly paced, full of one-dimensional, undeveloped characters and lacking a lot of detail. Aislinn is rather whiny and unremarkable, with no defining characteristics except for the Sight, so it's hard to see why everyone loves her so much. Her friends are completely fl...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

3 comments

11/19/07

Elizabeth rated it:

bookshelves: 2007, american-lit, fairy-tales, fantasy

Read in September, 2007

I have a friend who puts together a summer reading list for her students every year. Every time she asks me for recommendations, I try to think of the books that I read that might be suitable for teenagers, and every time she can't use my recommendations because there is too much sex or violence for the parents of those teenagers to handle. I wouldn't describe Wicked Lovely as particularly sexy and certainly not violent, but there are elements of both in the book.

This story is about...more

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09/19/07

Susan rated it:

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: fans of Holly Black or Kathe Koja's books, people who like somewhat goth fairy stories

Just when you think that all the newer YA books in this genre are beginning to run together, along comes this one. Although I won't deny there are shades of Holly Black (Tithe, Ironside, etc.), Melissa Marr takes these similar elements and transforms them. For example, the wry humor of Black is missing here; although danger is always lurking beneath the surface in Tithe and Ironside, in Marr's book the threat is ever-present and if possible, even more sinister. There is a sense of urgency throug...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

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08/18/07

Amy rated it:

Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: Fans of fairy stories, goth kids

I was intrigued by this book for three things: the pretty cover, the nice title, and the fact that the back cover features a plug from Tamora Pierce. Then I read the summary and learned that it was about fairies, and how they aren't just fun and games - they can be scary, too. Why not? I decided to read it.

It's about this chick named Aislinn (kooky name, huh?) who can see fairies (actually, the book spells it "faery" - I guess Marr couldn't decide between fairy and faerie a...more

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02/07/09

Jess rated it:

bookshelves: audiobook, fantasy, young-adult

Read in February, 2009

I can't decide if this just wasn't my kind of thing, or what. I think it's a book that would appeal enormously to teen readers who like slightly dark fantasy with fairies and some romance. For me, the writing just wasn't strong enough to hook me into a topic I'm ambivalent about. I was really intrigued at the beginning - Ash is a fairly strong main character, and there were intriguing hints at her family's past and at the motivations of various fairies. The beginning of her relationship with...more

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05/08/08

Jeanne rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in November, 2008

This was just okay. There were some interesting pieces and some different twists in this urban fairy tale, but I felt the characters were rather flat and lacked sufficient depth. Melissa Marr does have some good writing skills so I won't throw her out entirely because I think she shows a lot of promise.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

1 comment

08/27/07

Sidhe rated it:

What a brilliant little book! The concept of the "game" that was being played, the descriptions of the fey, the idea of more than just Seelie and Unseelie Courts...brilliant! Can't wait for a sequel.

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03/31/09

DarkHeart rated it:

bookshelves: 2009, young-adult

Read in April, 2009

Really enjoyed this one. Wonderful characters in Aislinn, Seth, Keenan and Donia. I read a couple of reviews that said they didn't feel the humans were as well developed as the faeries, but I don't agree with that. You got more background on the faeries simply because they require explanation where as humans do not. I think the relationship between Ash and Seth was well developed and sweet. I loved that she could see the fae, but had spent her life carefully pretending she couldn't only to ...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

3 comments

12/21/08

kaysootee rated it:

bookshelves: audio-edition, dark, faeries, romantic, suspense-thriller, young-adult-fiction

Read in August, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Aislinn (pronounced Ash-ling) is a normal high school girl – she hangs out with her friends, she’s got a boyfriend (Seth), and she’s trying to decide where she wants to go to college. The only thing that isn’t so normal about her is the fact that she can see faeries. She’s seen them all her life, and her grandma – who can also see them – has told her never, under any circumstances, should Aislinn let them know that. She’s been careful up until now, but suddenly the faeries sta...more Aislinn (pronounced Ash-ling) is a normal high school girl – she hangs out with her friends, she’s got a boyfriend (Seth), and she’s trying to decide where she wants to go to college. The only thing that isn’t so normal about her is the fact that she can see faeries. She’s seen them all her life, and her grandma – who can also see them – has told her never, under any circumstances, should Aislinn let them know that. She’s been careful up until now, but suddenly the faeries start noticing her. Instead of hiding from them, though Aislinn decides to take a more proactive approach – she’s going to ask them what they want. This is more difficult than she expects. The faerie she confronts is Keenan, the Summer King, and he’s enrolled himself as a high school student so he can be near her and convince her to be his Queen. That’s the last thing Aislinn wants – she already has a life!

Unfortunately, they must come to some compromise. By choosing Aislinn, Keenan has already set things in motion – she’s become summer fae, and regardless of whether she chooses to be his Queen, she’ll never be human again. The Winter Queen (Beyrah) also wants to kill her. And Keenan’s former choice (Donya), also stands to gain something from Aislinn’s choice. Aislinn resists the choosing for as long as she can, until she realizes that she doesn’t have to do things Keenan’s way. She confronts him and presents her case – she wants to finish high school, she wants to go to college, and she wants to remain with Seth. Being Summer Queen, for Aislinn, will be her job. It’s a unique solution to their quandary.

It took me a couple chapters to get into this – I was listening to the audio edition – and then suddenly I was hooked (just when the faeries were starting to follow Aislinn around). I really liked how Aislinn refused to be bullied or seduced by the fae. She was mostly in control around them and she knew what she wanted and was able to articulate it and bargain with them. Sometimes the repetition of these demands (I don’t want to be with you!) was a little much, but on the whole I liked that Aislinn was so strong. The ending was good, too, satisfying and rewarding for all the characters (those of us who like happy endings will be placated). It was somewhat reminiscent of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (but, better, I thought) – there are some romantic elements, and there’s Aislinn’s choice between Seth and Keenan hanging in the balance. You almost want her to end up with the faery; and that’s another similarity – the relationship between a human and something inhuman (there are bound to be problems). I’d definitely like to read other things that Melissa Marr has written. Great cover art on this book, by the way – dark blues and purples showing half a girl’s face and frost-coated flowers.(less)

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10/19/08

Lara's rated it:

bookshelves: tween-books

Read in November, 2008

recommends it for: Barely a "tween" book--14yrs and up.

Synopsis: Aislinn can see fairies, she always has. The trick that her grandmother has always taught her, is to make certain that the fairies don't know -- or Aislinn's life could get so very much more difficult.
Review: Voted as one of the "Best Books of 2007 for Teens" by Amazon as well as being nominated by YALSA, this is a wonderfully imaginative tale of Aislinn the unfortunate receiver of a multi-generational ability to see faeries. Now, you and I would probably think "co...more Synopsis: Aislinn can see fairies, she always has. The trick that her grandmother has always taught her, is to make certain that the fairies don't know -- or Aislinn's life could get so very much more difficult.
Review: Voted as one of the "Best Books of 2007 for Teens" by Amazon as well as being nominated by YALSA, this is a wonderfully imaginative tale of Aislinn the unfortunate receiver of a multi-generational ability to see faeries. Now, you and I would probably think "cool trick", but it is anything but cool for Aislinn. Faeries will hurt you, faeries like to hurt you and if they think you can see them you are in big trouble. Imagine all the magical imps, faeries, witches, ogres, Jack Frost's, etc... from each season decending upon you--winters chill, summers burn, autumn's winds--they all kind of have a self-governing way of balancing/cancelling eachother out. However, the Winter Queen has killed her husband, the Summer King, and now rules over their young son, Keenan, who is still too weak to truly ascend the throne. What he needs is a Summer Queen -- he's been searching for 9 centuries and he thinks Aislinn may be it. The only problem is that he's thought that way before and girls foolishly in love enough to attempt the age old ritual--which is to successfully take the wand away from the Winter Queen-- have paid the price dearly by becoming, cold, chilled through and eternally called the "winter girl"--shunned by all in fairy society and unable to feel the warmth of the Summer King that was once so dearly loved. It is a great book, a fantastic story that I couldn't stop reading. I give fair warning that it's an all-day reading marathon. Just so you know. Critical Reviews:The Washington Post completely agrees and had this to say regarding Keenan's very unhelpful mother, The Winter Queen, "'she's a little too over the top to be totally threatening, a campy version of Hans Christian Andersen's Snow Queen -- part Disney witch, part Endora in "Bewitched.' But this didn't stop me from devouring the book." Yes, exactly. I do agree that she should have been a bit more scary because that would have been awesome! Publishers Weekly said, "A fully imagined faery world which even non-fantasy (or faerie) lovers will want to delve into." Again, yes.

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04/17/08

Jarrah rated it:

bookshelves: author-melissamarr, broadgenre-ya, cliche-chosenone, cliche-faeries, cliche-thesight, country-america, genre-yafantasy, setting-secretworld

Read in March, 2008

YA urban fantasy. Aisling sees faeries. Faeries are vicious: they blind, they kill Sighted mortals. Aisling can't ever let them know she knows they're there. Only now faeries are following her. The Summer King, Keenan, needs a queen. Every other mortal girl he's chosen has failed - has become a vapid Summer Girl, fluttering about him, or a Winter Girl - cursed with the cold forever. Like Donia, the frozen girl on the wolf, who follows Aisling with Keenan, and warns her not ever to trust him. Whi...more

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03/07/08

Emily rated it:

Read in March, 2008

Gosh, I liked this one. It’s the kind of urban fantasy that’s fluffy comfort reading, and maybe doesn’t work at a level above fluffy comfort reading, but it does what it does really well and doesn’t make me want to hit the author over the head with some Betty Friedan. (The author has taught gender studies at the university level, so that’s not so surprising!) It manages to be awesomely romantic while sidestepping all of the dumb cliches, and Aislinn is bold and smart and self-sufficien...more

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polls

What is your favorite Love Triangle?

Rose-Dimitri-Adrian (Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead)

3 votes, 5.0%

Cat-Bones-Tate (Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost)

8 votes, 13.3%

Sookie-Bill-Eric (Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris)

20 votes, 33.3%

Riley-Quinn-Kye (Riley Jensen series by Keri Arthur)

4 votes, 6.7%

Faythe-Marc-Jace (Shifter series by Rachel Vincent)

0 votes, 0.0%

Cassie-Mircea-Pritkin (Cassie Palmer series by Karen Chance)

8 votes, 13.3%

Kitty-Ben-Cormac (Kitty and the Midnight Hour series by Carrie Vaughn)

3 votes, 5.0%

Mercy-Adam-Samuel-Stefan (Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs)

6 votes, 10.0%

Aislinn-Seth-Keenan (Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr)

1 vote, 1.7%

Other - I'm sure there are some that I've missed! Tell us your fav in the comments.

7 votes, 11.7%

60 total votes

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quotes from this book

"She stood in his kitchen, watching him toy with the ring in his lip. It wasn't quite that he was biting it, but sucking it into his mouth. He did that when he was concentrating. It isn't sexy. He's not sexy. But he was, and she was staring at him like a fool. "wow" she whispered (.....)"Wow, huh?" His voice was low, husky. His chair creaked as he stood. His footsteps seemed strangely loud as he closed the couple yards between them. Then he was beside her. "I can work with wow" " More quotes...