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Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely #4)

by Melissa Marr (Goodreads Author)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 19,965 ratings · 1,088 reviews

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 h...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 340 pages

Published April 24th 2010 by Harper

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May 27, 2011 Arlene rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: faeries, paranormal, read-2010, autographed, ya-paranormal, young-adult

Rating Clarification: 2.5 Stars

Radiant Shadows is my least favorite book of the series, and I'm sorry to say I've been feeling a decline in its allure since Fragile Eternity. I plowed through FE in the hopes that it was the catalyst that would shift the storyline and bring the major players to an endgame of explosive proportions, but I felt I was back to square one with Radiant Shadows.

The first 100 pages or so were a HUGE borefest. I kept nodding off as I trudged through a few pages at a time....more

35 likes · like · see review

Sep 12, 2009 Jenny added it

AWESOME book; excerpt from fangirl e-mail I sent to the author while reading her book:

Melissa, I must tell you. I'm REALLY REALLY enjoying RADIANT SHADOWS. I'm in the middle of it . . . this one -- and you must know how I loved the others -- but this one is my favorite. It's psychologically fascinating, intellectually interesting, the prose is rich and beautiful and spare, and it's such a layered world that is deep and involved because of the reader's knowledge of this world you created & *...more

14 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2010 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-characters, best-endings, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, love-it-for-the-characters, best-couples, 2010-reads, reviewed

*** WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS ***

I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say that, in my opinion, Melissa Marr has finally reached her stride with this fourth installment to the Wicked Lovely series. This book holds all the allure of the ones that proceeded it while introducing new ideas and plot threads that make me brim with anticipation as a reader. Radiant Shadows holds the alluring power of Wicked Lovely, the seductive darkness of Ink Exchange, and the undeniable conflict of Fragile Eternit...more

11 likes · like · see review

Sep 12, 2011 Sarah added it

I'm soo excited, been loving wicked lovely since the beginning

3 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2012 Callista rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-paranormal-romance, fairytale-myth

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I originally, grudgingly gave this book 2 stars, but only for its contribution to the Seth and Niall plot threads of the series. I expected the Devlin and Ani plot thread to matter more in terms of the big picture, but book 5 proved me wrong. The truth is, I didn't really like this book--so: 1 star.
The book worked for me only when Seth or Niall was present. Seth continued to be an intriguing character as he tried to function, caught between two worlds. Sorcha really went overboard on playing the...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 28, 2010 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who has stuck with the series through the first three

Shelves: faeries, young-adult-fantasy, urban-fantasy, reviewed, paranormal-romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. With Radiant Shadows, the fourth installment of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, readers were introduced to a vast number of fast-paced plot developments as well as new, or previously unexplored, characters. The numerous changes that took place in the fairy world with Radiant, including deaths, injuries, new kings, new queens and a sealing of the portal to the mortal world (it rhymes!), stood in sharp contrast to the third book Fragile Eternity, which contained little plot other than minor r...more With Radiant Shadows, the fourth installment of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, readers were introduced to a vast number of fast-paced plot developments as well as new, or previously unexplored, characters. The numerous changes that took place in the fairy world with Radiant, including deaths, injuries, new kings, new queens and a sealing of the portal to the mortal world (it rhymes!), stood in sharp contrast to the third book Fragile Eternity, which contained little plot other than minor relationship squabbles.

I still don't feel anything beyond a general "meh" for this series, so I'm not too sure why I've continued with it other than the fact that it gives me something easy and sleep-inducing (ie boring) to read when I'm up with insomnia. This book was pretty much par for the course - some interesting ideas, but some very slow sections and some confusion due to lack of proper explanation of how things work in Marr's fantasy world. The plot seemed a bit jerky in Radiant, with an entire 100 pages where nothing much happened, and then major conflicts and character deaths just being sprung out of nowhere without proper buildup and tension.

Radiant centered around Ani, a halfling Dark Court hound who I found to be very oddly characterized. Ani seemed to be written as a very childish character, even though she would be around the same age as Aislinn and Leslie. In comparison to Leslie and Aislinn, Ani read about 10 years younger. Whether it's a question of them being very mature for their age or Ani being childish for her age I do not know, but since Ani had her own share of hardship and loss it just didn't make sense for her to be such a baby. I felt like Ani was a very inconsistent character - she didn't seem to have a lot personality traits that stuck with her throughout the book, aside from her love of fighting and running which were innate traits due to her being a Hound. I suppose it makes sense that she didn't have consistent character traits, since throughout the book she was in the process of going through changes as she became less mortal and more fully Hound, but it was hard to empathize because there was nothing for the reader to really anchor themselves to about her. Also, Ani was constantly whining about all the things she wasn't allowed to do, and if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a whiny character!

I really liked the "dreamwalker" Rae, although I would have loved to hear more about where she came from (I assume she was Irish?) and who she used to be. When she was first introduced, it was mentioned that she had been arguing with her guardian and an aunt was mentioned, yet she never once talked about missing her family. I would have liked to hear more about her life before she came to faerie so that I could better understand her as a character. It also would have been interesting to hear if her body in the cave was ever discovered by anyone, and if not, what her family believed happened to her or what excuses they made up to explain her disappearance. It would have been nice to learn a bit more about dreamwalkers, too, and how they get their abilities, if the abilities run in families like Aislinn's sight did and if they can live forever as a spectre.

The whole thing with Sorcha going crazy because of Seth being away was just weird and kind of creepy. I mean, I get why she wanted a son - she wanted a family connection. I get that she became more vulnerable and less rational because she was made partly mortal, but it's not like Seth died or anything. He was just away for a limited amount of time, she could send him messages, and she knew he would be coming back, so I don't really get why she went insane without him. It just seemed like some really creepy, obsessive, almost incestuous thing. Being a mother doesn't mean being THAT obsessed with your son. I mean, she was acting like she couldn't live or go on without him, which seems more of a reaction one has to a lover leaving, not a son. She was acting as though she was in love WITH him, rather than loving him as a son. Maybe it's just me, but I found that whole plot line really bizarre.

I liked that a romantic relationship between Irial and Niall was hinted at, as I've been itching for some non-straight characters, but I don't know why it had to be hinted at so vaguely. It felt like Marr was trying to shy away from coming out and directly saying that they are bi or gay (I assume bi, because they were both in love with Leslie at one point) or that they've been together. It was left purposefully ambiguous, with them talking about loving each other, but in a way that could be interpreted as just friendship or go right over the head of a less perceptive reader. I guess you take whatever scraps you can get, though.

When I finally got through the book, I cringed massively when I saw that Marr's Ani had supposedly been named after one of my absolute musical (and personal) idols - Ani DiFranco. I'm not sure why the real Ani never popped into my head when I was reading about the Fragile Ani. I suppose I just didn't pay a lot of attention to the name and make the connection because I assumed it was just another trendy, fantastical sounding name like Irial, Niall, Aislinn, Sorcha, etc. Anyways, I just don't get how Fragile Ani was supposed to be real Ani's namesake. Ani DiFranco's politics and music are strongly anti-violence, and Ani the book character is an innately violent creature who feeds off of creating fear, hunting and insecurity. I guess maybe she was just borrowing the name and not actually making the character a tribute to Ani DiFranco, but either way I kind of wish that I hadn't known that information at all because now I feel like some of my favourite music has been soiled by trite urban fantasy. (less)

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May 16, 2010 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I am awfully sick of reading the phrase 'what's best for my court' which seems to be repeated ad nauseum throughout this series and I GET IT! Everyone does what is best for their court. Can we NOW move on?
While I still don't enjoy the way Marr throws the reader into the story and gives all kinds of exposition without actually telling anything, I did like this book a bit more because we had a break from Aislinn and her Seth/Keenan seesawing which I'm quite tired of reading.
Having read the whole b...more

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Nov 03, 2010 Anthi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairies, ya-pnr, wicked-lovely-series

Not bad, but "not bad" is definetely not what I expect from mrs Marr, I thought I was reading another writer. Throughout the Wicked Lovely series we saw strong heroes and heroines that take matters into theis own hands, make tough desicions, challenge fate ( if there is really one ) wove their own paths, and be brave when it's time to pay the price for the choices they made. All these things are the ones that made this series extaordinary.
So I don't understand mrs' Marr choise to make the 4th b...more

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Feb 04, 2010 Ellz Readz rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts...Once again Melissa Marr whisks readers off to a magical world where the veil between Moral and Faerie worlds is thin. She uses her writing talents to manipulate readers into falling for, even rooting for, the characters in the story, even when its the villain. Radiant Shadows shifts focus from Aislinn and Seth to Ani, daughter of Gabriel and Devlin, the high Queen's Bloody Hands. The characters were brilliantly written. I felt sympathy for Devlin; felt his indecision as he is torn...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Reviewed by Laura for Book Chick City.

Radiant Shadows is the fourth book in Melissa Marr's 'Wicked Lovely' series. It begins where 'Fragile Eternity' left off. However, while Seth features as quite a main character, the story is no longer about Aishlin and the summer court.

The book is about Ani and Devlin, we've met them in previous books but as relatively minor characters.

Ani is Rabbit the tattooist's half sister, and daughter of Gabriel, leader of the hunt. She is a member of the dark court an...more

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Jan 13, 2010 Lorena Lopez rated it 5 of 5 stars

One of the biggest things I noticed about Radiant Shadows, if not the first, was that it was lighter than Ink Exchange. You wouldn't think anything surrounding the Dark Court could be taken in such a manner. But as I closed the cover of the book, I found myself feeling...well...happy. This isn't a feeling I normally associate with the Wicked Lovely stand-alones, but it just felt so right. There's such a feeling of triumph and completion to be had when this book is finished, it's just blissful. I...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jan 18, 2010 Kimber Coon rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book has made me think about many different things.
I love the concept of companion books but never have I read a companion boo like those in the Wicked Lovely world. They not only are wonderfuly well writen but they, to me, outshine the main Wicked Lovely books.

Another thing these books have made me think about is conection to others, or lack thereof. How something so simple as holding ones hand and small physical contact is just as important as the honest words of a loved ones. It made m...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 24, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, own-arc, signed-arcs, signed-books

By far my favorite book of the series!

This fae series is one of a kind. Each novel could possibly stand alone, but the series is better savored if read in the order of release. The Wicked Lovely Books are not your average tale of twinkling fairies of hope and love. The fae in these stories are dangerous, destructive and lethal. Their world isn't sunshine and rainbows, it's despair and longing. It's so richly layered, so stunningly crafted, I was just taken aback by the entire thing. I didn't put...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2010 DarkHeart "Vehngeance" rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fae, 2010, 2010-best-releases

As big of a fan as I am of the other books in this series, I didn't immediately jump on this book when I got it. I wasn't particularly intrigued about Ani and I didn't know Devlin - so the draw to read their story wasn't there initially. However, when I picked up the book yesterday and immersed myself back in Marr's world of Faerie, I was completely entranced.

The book was made all that more special by featuring my favorite faeries of books past - Niall, Seth and Irial - their inclusion and that...more

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 03, 2010 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, ya, urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance

Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure how to go about reviewing this latest installment to the Wicked Lovely series. I suppose I'll begin by saying that Marr has done a fantastic job setting up the final installment to the series. Anything could happen and there is certainly going to be a lot of action and declarations of love to be had. With that said, I didn't enjoy Radiant Shadows as much as the others in the series, much to my dismay.

The premise was spot on. Ani, a halfling, has tendencies of both Hou...more Hmmm. I'm not entirely sure how to go about reviewing this latest installment to the Wicked Lovely series. I suppose I'll begin by saying that Marr has done a fantastic job setting up the final installment to the series. Anything could happen and there is certainly going to be a lot of action and declarations of love to be had. With that said, I didn't enjoy Radiant Shadows as much as the others in the series, much to my dismay.

The premise was spot on. Ani, a halfling, has tendencies of both Hound and Dark Court fey, making her more unique than most know or could guess. However, there are a few who can "see" that Ani's uniqueness could change the shape of faerie forever, and as a result want Ani dead.

Devlin, is the son/brother of twins Sorcha and Bannache, possessing both light and dark qualities, and has sworn fealty to the High Queen since the time of his making. As such, his purpose is to act as the bloody hands of the High Court. Devlin has never violated an order, save for one and the repercussions surpass anything that Devlin could have foreseen.

Devlin is captivated by Ani, whom he allowed to live, despite his sister Sorcha's order. She has remained hidden for fourteen years, but has now caught the attention of his other sister, Bannache. Bannache is intent on using Ani as a weapon in her war. If such a thing were to come to pass, Ani would be discovered and killed by Sorcha. If Ani disregards the order, Bannache will have her head. The logical answer would be to flee, but is there another path?

While the plot of the story was intricate and intriguing, I couldn't muster up any love or like for either Ani or Devlin. The best thing about Ani was her haircut (It is so refreshing to find a heroine who has short hair, not because she had to shave her head to look like a man, but because she likes short hair. Such a thing is very hard to find in literature.) as she often came across as a randy, petulant child. Devlin, on the other hand, was so controlled and borderline anal, that he fell flat, and just when I was beginning to muster up some like for him, I got hit with a ménage a trois. Now, I would like to note that I could care less about a person’s sexual orientation and I thought it was a fantastic addition to have a love triangle between Irial, Niall, and Leslie in Ink Exchange, made even more interesting by the fact that they are all in love with each other. Oh the drama! However, seeing Devlin have his cake and eat it too by keeping both Rae (who you will meet in this installment) and Ani made me cringe. I lost all respect for Ani, and just wanted to slap Devlin. Not cool. I realize that there are all sorts of relationships in this world, but not all of them belong in YA, erotica yes, YA, no.

The saving grace of this story was two fold, well, three. I love Melissa Marr. I may not agree with what she wrote in this book relationship wise, but I have to give her kudos for writing it. There are all sorts of relationships in this world, and I give her props for including them in her series. Second, the plot was great, even though I didn’t care for the two main characters. Lastly, Irial. He and Keenan are my favorite characters, perhaps because they are the most multifaceted, and thankfully, he has returned in Radiant Shadows. Oh how I love him and wish for his happiness. All I’m going to say is that he better be in the last one!
(less)

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Nov 01, 2012 The Unnamed rated it 2 of 5 stars

I would have to give Radiant Shadows a 3.5 out of 5 just to be clear. This book felt more like a filler installment than the action packed, emotional turmoil filled books I've come to expect from Melissa Marr. It felt like Devon became an immitation of another court and the romance in this book felt rushed. I would saw more but I am new to this site and am uncertain as to how to hide spoilers...which I would undoubtably leave.

Therefore I will conclude this statment by addressing my last issue w...more

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Sep 04, 2010 June rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Wicked Lovely fans

Shelves: fantasy

This series keeps getting better and better. This is my favorite so far. Ani and Devlin are intriguing characters. The story is gripping. There has to be another doesn't there?

I think this is really a 4 and a half. I'm already thinking about re-reading it. I love when an author grows with a series instead of the series fading.

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Aug 09, 2010 Kara Cardwell added it

First off, I figured I’d love this book because the Wicked Lovely series is one of my favorites. I can now say that besides the 1st book, Radiant Shadows is my favorite. I slipped back into Marr’s written world as soon as I started the first chapter. Despite me initially thinking that this was another side story, I became invested in Ani and Devlin’s story almost as much as Ash and Seth (not quite but almost). It also helped that the book was packed with multiple characters from the dark court l...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Shivani rated it 3 of 5 stars

Radiant Shadows is not what you call a fairy tale romance – it’s a faerie tale romance. It is the fourth installment in the Wicked Lovely series. Devlin, a faerie who was created by Order and Discord - Sorcha and Bananache, is sent to the mortal world to see how the newly formed faerie Seth is doing. Meanwhile, the Summer King Keenan is missing, and there is chaos in the Summer courts. Devlin did expect a fight or two with Bananache who creates discord, but what he didn’t expect was to find love...more Radiant Shadows is not what you call a fairy tale romance – it’s a faerie tale romance. It is the fourth installment in the Wicked Lovely series. Devlin, a faerie who was created by Order and Discord - Sorcha and Bananache, is sent to the mortal world to see how the newly formed faerie Seth is doing. Meanwhile, the Summer King Keenan is missing, and there is chaos in the Summer courts. Devlin did expect a fight or two with Bananache who creates discord, but what he didn’t expect was to find love. And the girl who steals his heart was one who was to be killed.

Ani is a halfling. She is part hound and part faerie, which makes her liable to the hunger of both creatures. Her short temper and beauty are what attract Devlin to her. But Bananache orders her to do a terrible thing which involves killing Ani’s loved ones and give her blood to her. With Devlin’s help, Ani flees her home in an attempt to get away from Bananache. But it’s not all that easy. Bananache kills Ani’s sister, for which Ani is determined to find her and kill her.

Another essential character is Rae, who is a dreamwalker. She can combine the threads of people’s dreams and interact with them. Meanwhile, Sorcha is unwell because of the absence of her son Seth. When she finds out about Rae’s abilities, she orders her to show her Seth in her dreams. This causes the Queen of Order to go into a deep slumber just so that she can see what her son is doing. Due to this, there is discord in Faerie. Everything slowly starts disappearing, and unless Sorcha wakes up, the land will disappear into nothing. It is only Devlin and Seth who are capable of waking her up. Thus Devlin and Ani’s plans to flee come to a standstill as Devlin needs to go back to Faerie.

The book’s ending is one that leaves the reader knowing that they haven’t seen the last of Devlin, Ani and Faerie. Together they have a future fraught with danger, but they are prepared to face it since they have new powers.

The book has been very imaginatively written. Melissa Marr’s unique writing style and cheek make it a fun read. This book is recommended for reading only for those who’ve read the previous books, since there is a huge connection to the previous books. A good read.(less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, in-a-series, heavy-romance, urban-fantasy, paranormal-romance, read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm actually ashamed of myself for not finishing this book the first time I read it. I spent a few hours by the pool reading it, and was so pumped to see what happened at the end, but NO. I wanted to "surprise" myself with the ending instead of finishing it in one reading. WHY FOURTEEN YEAR OLD ME?

So when I reread it, I made sure not to do the same thing to myself. And I'm really glad I did pick this back up, because like in IE, I really did like the darker, edgier sides of Radiant Shadows. It's...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Ralala rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: lame, fantasy, faeries, romance

Radiant Shadows. Well, out of all the books this one definitely had the best plot but I found it kind of lame.

It wasn't boring, but lame. Just lame.

* spoiler *

So Ani, a special halfling, falls in love with the High Queen and Bananach's creation - Devlin, who serves as the High Queens assassin.

Devlin was actually ordered to kill Ani when she was born or child but he could not because of Rae's plead. So he didn't. Then after a time-skip and Ani is all grown up and exposed to her father's respons...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Cassandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked Radiant Shadows. Even though it focused on characters other than Aislinn and Keenan and had enough Seth in it to make me more than happy. Even thought I am a bit disappointed in Seth and his decision I still like it.
Radiant Shadows focuses on Ani and Devlin two very different characters whose lives have been intertwined since Ani was little. I love the connection that these two had. I think these two are my favourite couple in the whole series they are just perfect for each other...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Nicole Bunge rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-fae-faery-kin, favorite-authors, paranormal-romance, ya

Fourth book in the "Wicked Lovely" series.
AAAAAND... finally we're dealing with the Dark Court. (Frankly, much as I love Aislinn, the Summer Court is pretty frivolous and boring.)
And as much as I enjoy Melissa Marr - I'm disappointed in this book. The love story takes center stage, and we don't get much of a feeling for the Dark Court. (Yeah, there was a lot of it in "Ink Exchange" -which is probably why I love that book best.) But this doesn't add much to the mythos, it's just 'push the overar...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Melissa Marr’s work, but I promise the following is based solely on the quality of her upcoming book, Radiant Shadows. I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Reading Copy from Melissa herself so that I could share my thoughts on the book with you guys.

Melissa Marr’s books are about choices. Her characters always have choices, even if they’re not very clear to them. There is always a choice. An important lesson for the general audience of these books, young ad...more It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Melissa Marr’s work, but I promise the following is based solely on the quality of her upcoming book, Radiant Shadows. I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Reading Copy from Melissa herself so that I could share my thoughts on the book with you guys.

Melissa Marr’s books are about choices. Her characters always have choices, even if they’re not very clear to them. There is always a choice. An important lesson for the general audience of these books, young adults. You always have a choice, even when it seems like you don’t.

Radiant Shadows is about Ani, half mortal and half Hound, and Devlin, the High Queens assassin and revolves (somewhat) around the High Court rather then the others we’ve seen more of so far in the series. Ani is quite a free spirit, but she’s never really belonged to anything. She can’t pass for human anymore in the mortal world and everyone in the faerie world is too afraid she’ll get hurt if they take her in completely. They’d rather hide and protect her from the imminent threats in the outside world. Something the wild and raucous Hound in her does not want. Devlin has been presented to us as a rigid character who has made his choice of where he stands very clear… but he’s not really sure where he belongs. In that sense Radiant Shadows is very much about belonging as well. And who can’t relate to that?

My favorite thing about Marr’s books is that they aren’t just about a relationship getting off the ground. That certainly exists but it’s never the main point of the book. She weaves the relationship into the other situations and main plot until you can’t see the distinction anymore. Ani and Devlin get together not because the plot requires it, but because their personalities and choices lead them to one another. Marr doesn’t create situations and then stick characters into them, she creates characters with history, emotions and personality and then sticks them in a situation to see what happens. It takes an enormous amount of talent to create a universe so rich and intricate, then create dozens of characters and know how every single one of them will react to the same stimuli.

I said before in my review of Ink Exchange (book 2) that its obvious Marr has put some of herself into these books and that I could relate to that part almost painfully in Ink Exchange. I see that again in Radiant Shadows but not in the same way. Radiant Shadows is still about reigning your own destiny, making your own choices and empowering yourself, but I felt more of a connection with the story and its eventual outcome than I have with any others from the series. It brought me to tears again but in a more joyous way this time around. There are few authors who can hit you so deep that you are physically and emotionally moved by their words. If you find one who can, its best to buy all their books and settle in for a long weekend.

If you haven’t heard of the Wicked Lovely series you should definitely check it out, it’s probably my favorite YA series of all time. And if you are already drawn to the world of Wicked Lovely check out Stopping Time, a free short story which takes place after Ink Exchange. Part 2 just came out today!(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

RADIANT SHADOWS is my favorite book in the Wicked Lovely series, right after WICKED LOVELY itself. It goes down as smoothly as my roommate's strawberry cream pie, unlike FRAGILE ETERNITY, which didn't pick up until the second half. It begins with a couple of teasing scenes from Devlin's past - two times he disobeyed his sister Sorcha, the High Queen. Of course, his simple acts could change everything since Sorcha is constantly worried he'll betray her to side with Bananach, his other sister-moth...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interestingly enough, this was the first book in Marr's Wicked Lovely series that didn't initially grab me and hold me the entire way through the book. I'm not sure why that is, except that Radiant Shadows started off a little slow for me.

Not to worry, though this book may not be a gripping adventure from start to finish, Radiant Shadows still left me satisfied and anxiously awaiting Darkest Mercy. And let me be fair, the story definitely picks up the pace for the second half... With each of the...more

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Apr 10, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Rose

This book continued the story from ‘Fragile Eternity’ from the point of view of Ani, Devlin, and Rae. Where we left off is in the world of Faerie where Sorcha is letting that world unravel until she knows that her son, Seth, is safe. Devlin is told to check up on Seth but in the meantime meets Ani, who he was supposed to assassinate years before, and his life is altered by her.

Just when I thought this series could not get any better! This book stepped it up ano...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Rose

This book continued the story from ‘Fragile Eternity’ from the point of view of Ani, Devlin, and Rae. Where we left off is in the world of Faerie where Sorcha is letting that world unravel until she knows that her son, Seth, is safe. Devlin is told to check up on Seth but in the meantime meets Ani, who he was supposed to assassinate years before, and his life is altered by her.

Just when I thought this series could not get any better! This book stepped it up another level with illuminating the lives of the Fey in the High Court. Devlin was introduced in ‘Fragile Eternity’ very briefly and this book expanded on his character greatly. Devlin was created from both Sorcha and Bananach and needed them for nourishment. He was constantly torn between keeping his two sister-mothers pleased. But when he met Ani again, he realized that there was so much more out there for him, that he began to question his allegiance to the High Court.

The character of Ani was fascinating to me. The fact that she needed both touch and emotion to be completely satiated always kept her on edge wanting more. When she met Devlin it was an instant attraction that was unexplainable to either of them, but started a relationship that was both forbidden and vital to both of them. Marr created such a strong character in Ani. She was a compelling wildcat that only wanted to find her place in the Hunt so she could belong. Devlin and Ani complimented each other so fully, it was inevitable that they belonged together.

Katherine Rae O’Falherty AKA Rae was an expected twist for me. This character diverged from the typical fey in these novels in the fact that she was a spectral being (who could ‘possess’ another body) and a dream walker. Rae was one of my favorite characters in this book. She was the exceptional piece of the puzzle who essentially connected the dots in this story.

In all of Marr’s ‘Wicked Lovely’ books, love or some form of passion/lust is a major theme, and this book was no different. But the new way it was shown was quite captivating. Devlin and Ani were brought together for a reason, to compliment each other’s needs and desires but with painful consequence. The internal struggle of keeping their families away from harm but the preoccupation with each other made this book difficult to put down. I was drawn by the relationship these two created and the balance they tried to ensure to keep each other safe and well.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the ‘Wicked Lovely’ series, or anyone who is in the mood for a thrill-ride exploring the magical world of the Fey.

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Apr 09, 2012 Juanitah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Devlin é o "Mãos Sangrentas" de Sorcha, a Rainha Suprema. Um assassino de coração frio.. ou pelo menos é suposto o ser!
Um dia conhece Rae, e faz a sua primeira amiga em toda a sua existência.
Sendo o produto da Razão e da Discórdia, Devlin opta por servir a Razão, e tudo faz por ela, até que, a pedido de Rae desobedece às ordens da sua Rainha, poupando a vida de uma cria Canídea, Ani, filha de Gabriel, o braço forte do Rei da Corte das Trevas.
Ani é metade fae, metade humana, tal como a sua irmã T...more Devlin é o "Mãos Sangrentas" de Sorcha, a Rainha Suprema. Um assassino de coração frio.. ou pelo menos é suposto o ser!
Um dia conhece Rae, e faz a sua primeira amiga em toda a sua existência.
Sendo o produto da Razão e da Discórdia, Devlin opta por servir a Razão, e tudo faz por ela, até que, a pedido de Rae desobedece às ordens da sua Rainha, poupando a vida de uma cria Canídea, Ani, filha de Gabriel, o braço forte do Rei da Corte das Trevas.
Ani é metade fae, metade humana, tal como a sua irmã Tish, mas em proporções diferentes, e é a diferença de Ani que a torna num perigo para a Corte Suprema, pois esta é bem mais poderosa do que todos possam pensar.
Ani cresce ignorando o seu poder total, e nunca se integrando completamente, ora no mundo mortal, ora no mundo fae.
Com a protecção de Irial e da Corte das Trevas, Ani encontra-se resguardada dos seus inimigos, até que se faz notar, tornando-se num alvo a abater.
Conseguirá Devlin levar a cabo o seu propósito e matar Ani a favor de Sorcha? Ou falhará novamente?
Conseguirá Ani sobreviver a estas ameaças? Em quem poderá a Canídea confiar?
Será o amor impossível entre seres tão diferentes, ou serão eles mais parecidos do que pensam?
"Sombras Radiantes" é o quarto e penúltimo volume da saga "Wicked Lovely" de Melissa Marr. Uma saga quem vem vindo a arrecadar seguidores desde o primeiro livro!
Admito que gostei de este livro não se focar na Corte de Verão, pois Keenan e Aislinn começam a ser um pouco enfadonhos.
Por outro lado, o amor de Aislinn, Seth, agora uma fada e herdeiro de Sorcha ganha cada vez mais ênfase na saga, tornando-se numa peça chave para o futuro do mundo fae, e quiçá do mortal também!
Embora não sendo grande fã de Seth, e o terceiro volume da saga, que se prendia no jovem ter sido uma desilusão, gostei da transformação desta personagem em "Sombras Radiantes", embora ainda bastante evasivo, demonstra já o seu carácter e uma previsão do que virá no último e derradeiro volume!
Devlin e Ani não são propriamente desconhecidos aos leitores, pois foram presenças semi-activas em livros anteriores, mas só agora os podemos conhecer realmente e ao pormenor.
Tenho a dizer que ambas as personagens me agradaram, tanto pelas suas disparidades como semelhanças, que tornaram a trama envolvente e interessante, mantendo o leitor ansioso por mais, não conseguindo pousar o livro!
Sorcha assumiu um papel relevante neste livro, onde nos revela a sua dor de mãe por ter o seu único filho, Seth, longe dela. Embora não sendo um exemplo de compaixão, foi difícil não me compadecer da Suprema Rainha.
De uma forma geral, "Sombras Radiantes" não é, de todo, tão bom como o segundo livro da saga "Tatuagem", mas é também agradável e de fácil e rápida leitura.
Melissa Marr mantém o seu estilo suave, de linguagem acessível e muita acção e romance, aliando-os a personagens cativantes e uma estória interessante.
Com as novas mudanças de "Sombras Radiantes" e com uma guerra iminente, mal posso esperar pelo quinto volume!
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Oct 19, 2011 Steve Cran rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ani is half faery and half mortal daughter of Gabriel leader of the hunt's wolf pack. Her mother was supposedly killed when she was young leaving her a survivor along with her brother rabbit, and sister Tisha. As of late she has been living with Gabriel's hound who are not allowed to fall in love with her unless they can beat Gabriel in battle. Ani is going through changes, her faery blood is over taking her mortal blood. She feeds off of emotions like most of the faeries of the dark court do. B...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've kept up with Melissa's Marr's Wicked Lovely books since the beginning. Sometimes I wonder why I keep on reading because neither of the subsequent novels (Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity) were as lush, captivating or enjoyable as Wicked Lovely. I suppose I kept reading in hopes that something would finally live up to the first book, but sadly none of Marr's other Wicked Lovely novels, including the newest installment, Radiant Shadows, can stand up to it.

Nothing really happens in Radiant Sh...more

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About Melissa Marr

5 stars= If I love you, I'll buy you a copy from this list of books. (Pls note, if you are my family or dearest friends, feel free to remind me to do so. I am lousy w remembering birthdays/holidays.)

4 stars= Don't even ask to borrow it. You should prob buy it though.

3= If you borrow it, you better not lose it, mangle it, or keep it too long.

2 or 1 star= I don't use these. If it's not a 3 star or...more

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Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely #4)

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