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Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5)

by Melissa Marr (Goodreads Author)

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 15,852 ratings · 1,276 reviews

Send the messengers for the Faery Courts. This is the end.

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to str...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 327 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Harper

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Mar 08, 2011 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

These books have the most beautiful names, where does she get them?

43 likes · like · see review

Feb 25, 2011 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: faeries, paranormal, read-2011, ya-paranormal, autographed, young-adult

Undoubtedly 5 Stars!!

When I told you I wanted to try, I spoke the truth. When I turned away, it was for my former court, and when I tried to make another faery love me, it was for that court. I’ve lived my whole life trying to bring the Summer Court back to the strength it once was. In all those years, in centuries, I’ve only wished myself free of duty because of one reason. You…

Darkest Mercy was the perfect series finale for Wicked Lovely. I am gushing right now because I loved this book… TO.PI...more Undoubtedly 5 Stars!!

When I told you I wanted to try, I spoke the truth. When I turned away, it was for my former court, and when I tried to make another faery love me, it was for that court. I’ve lived my whole life trying to bring the Summer Court back to the strength it once was. In all those years, in centuries, I’ve only wished myself free of duty because of one reason. You…

Darkest Mercy was the perfect series finale for Wicked Lovely. I am gushing right now because I loved this book… TO.PIECES! I could not have asked for anything more in terms of an ending for my favorite faery series. I’m actually very sad too that this journey is over, and I can only hope that Marr has some spinoffs in the making, not because everything wasn’t tied up properly, but because I want more... simply just not ready to let these characters go yet.

It’s no secret that my favorite character in this entire series is Keenan ((SQUEEEE)))and in this installment it just proves how much he’s willing to sacrifice for his court and the ones he loves. He HANDS DOWN gave up the most and fought the hardest to make sure the Summer, Winter and Dark court survived Bananach’s reign of terror. His final sacrifice made my heart drop!! I did not even phantom that was even possible!!! Melissa Marr is an EVIL GENIUS!! She makes her characters fight, struggle, and sacrifice but not without their just rewards. Gawd she’s brilliant!!

The final battle was EPIC!! I loved how throughout this final book Marr was adamant about one thing – she is willing to spare characters to ensure the storyline progresses properly. None of this “mental battle” bullsh!t other authors use as a cop out. Melissa Marr is fearless and she makes her characters earn their ending whether it be a happy one or simply what they deserve. BRILLIANT!!

I will stand behind my previous opinion on how Fragile Eternity and Radiant Shadows came off as filler books. To be honest, this final installment does not need those two books to deliver this flawless ending. What I do recommend is reading the novellas Stopping Time and Old Habits, so you can understand the relationship between Irial, Niall and Leslie. Other than that, there is nothing I could have asked for that Marr didn’t deliver in this final book for the Wicked Lovely series.

I highly recommend fans of the first few books give this installment a try. So worth it!! It’s one I’ll be re-reading over and over again. Loved it! (less)

31 likes · like · see review

Feb 26, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: pn-faeries, young-adult, annoying-main-characters, read-2011, series-with-disappointing-endings, 2011-publication

So after 5 books, hundreds of pages, and many years...it all comes down to an ultimatum. If Keenan had just issued one in Wicked Lovely, it would've saved a lot of time.

24 likes · like · see review

Mar 02, 2011 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya

So. I've made it to the end of the story and I'm left with the feeling that Marr has a better story in her head that what actually appears on the page. While she might know what she means, she hasn't expressed it particularly well.
Here's what I think: If you're going to continue to refer to a character's backstory, then at some point you have to tell me that backstory or the current story has no foundation. Also, if you're going to ramp off on these tangents(Devlin/Ani/Rae) they need to actuall...more So. I've made it to the end of the story and I'm left with the feeling that Marr has a better story in her head that what actually appears on the page. While she might know what she means, she hasn't expressed it particularly well.
Here's what I think: If you're going to continue to refer to a character's backstory, then at some point you have to tell me that backstory or the current story has no foundation. Also, if you're going to ramp off on these tangents(Devlin/Ani/Rae) they need to actually be a part of the final story. After a whole book about D/A/R, they do not appear at all in this book, other than Devlin informed Seth about the closed gateway. That's it. I'm still waiting to find out what exactly Rae is. I'm waiting to find out how the Shadow Court affects the Faerie world. How does Sorcha feel about a new court just popping up in the world she controls? Nope. Nothing. That isn't good when the story is completed. And no, I wouldn't be interested in reading a story about who Rae is, what a dreamwalker is and what she was before that. No thank you.
In world-building, the world needs to be explained, clearly and sensibly so that as a reader I can lose myself there. I was never able in five books to ever get truly caught up in Marr's world. She tosses the reader into it with no supports. There are all these characters which she seems to assume everyone knows. I've said this before but I feel I needed to read these books with the encyclopedia of fey creatures next to me, but that wouldn't be too helpful because it would actually have to be the fey world according to Marr. After five books, I shouldn't still feel confused.
Having said that, the story here did move me at times and Marr did at the very least give the big battle that has been building throughout the series. There are some surprising twists and turns along the way.
While I am happy with where everyone ended up, I was disappointed that Ash seemed to have been relegated to almost a secondary character while Donia and Keenan took center stage along with Seth and Neill. I felt somewhat short-changed on Ash's story. She has spent too much of the story either moping because one or both of her boys was gone or resisting, kind of maybe or maybe not, Keenan. When this is resolved, she makes the adjustments far too easily. That's all I can say without spoilers.
All in all, I don't think I'd sign on for another Marr series. A single book, maybe. Series, probably not.(less)

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Feb 26, 2011 Vi Vi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not sure if I can review this book fully right now. It was good. Not great, wasn't expecting much more though on account of my familiarity with Marr's writing style. Some great moments, some annoying as hell moments, and then the conflict was over and the book kind of ended, and I don't have a PROBLEM with how it ended (it was very well crafted in a full circle kind of way), but I just couldn't really bring myself to feel anything for anyone. Okay, spoilers:

(view spoiler)...more Not sure if I can review this book fully right now. It was good. Not great, wasn't expecting much more though on account of my familiarity with Marr's writing style. Some great moments, some annoying as hell moments, and then the conflict was over and the book kind of ended, and I don't have a PROBLEM with how it ended (it was very well crafted in a full circle kind of way), but I just couldn't really bring myself to feel anything for anyone. Okay, spoilers:

(view spoiler)[

So, Keenan gives up being the Summer King, which enraged me at first, but he was good with Donia, and him becoming mortal, only to take the Winter Fey-o-Maker Staff and become all winter fey again makes sense, and it was nice to see him and Donia get their happily ever after, and Aislinn (who kicked Bananach's ass quite nicely) and Seth get their happily ever after (though this couple never did ANYTHING for me), and Irial, Leslie and Niall embark on what I'm sure will be many a 3-way, but in the end I didn't really care.

Half the book was basically the characters filling each other in on shit we already know, and then going somewhere else to discuss shit, and then figuring out what to do about War and then being worried and discussing shit some more. And Crazy!Niall got melodramatic after a while and I was wondering when someone was going to lock his crazy ass in the attic once and for all and just get on with the TASK AT HAND. Oh and don't forget Death and his sister, Death, walking around being ominous and then leaving and coming back and being ominous some more.

I think it's probably when Keenan gave up his Summer that the book finally started to take off (though I was really, REALLY, hoping for a Keenan/Aislinn seduction scene - this whole, "we'll always be true to the ones we love" thing was really boring. I mean really? NO ONE slipped up? Come on, man, drama's all about slipping up and making mistakes and coming back from it, not angsting about the same conflict you already angsted about at length throughout the past two books, shit).

The climax fight scene was pretty cool, except maybe I've been pampered by good shounen anime, but fights need to be more than fighting and the people falling and someone angsting over them. A good fight scene moves the plot forward, reveals character, reveals...idk, just watch any good Rurouni Kenshin fight and you'll see what I mean. The ups and down of any good tension filled plot need to be there in the climax fight and there wasn't much. Just tons of fighting, Donia gets stabbed, Keenan freaks and Aislinn kills Bananach, all the Death twins walking around cleaning up the mess (though I do admit when Keenan gave up his mortality for Donia without a thought it was sweet - though expected).

I don't know, maybe a part of me was expecting something more epic, but the rest of me knew that epic wasn't really Marr's style - nor does it have to be. She's good with the court intrigue/politics, but the problem with that is, it took up SO much of the book that it just felt like the plot was moseying along, with a few cool/sweet moments, and then it kind of moseyed along to a sweet (if a little Disney) end.
(hide spoiler)]

But, whatever. I'm always in awe of Marr's ability to create intriguing characters and an interesting mythology, and I'm glad I stuck with the series til its end. I'm not sure when I'll be this invested in another YA novel, tbh (a mysterious investment, as it remained even when I knew the flaws of this series and Marr's writing would keep me from really, REALLY loving the hell out of the story).

Wow, looks like I was up to writing a review. Lol(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Jillian -always aspiring- Vi Vi wrote: "And Crazy!Niall got melodramatic after a while and I was wondering when someone was going to lock his crazy ass in the attic once and fo...more
24 fév. 17:03

Kristy "though I was really, REALLY, hoping for a Keenan/Aislinn seduction scene - this whole, "we'll always be true to the ones we love" thing was really bo...more
02 mai 19:48

Dani Thank god someone else thinks this, i waited five books and no jiggy, i just feel ripped off i mean wasn't this the whole point of finding your (suppo...more
03 juil. 05:54

Feb 23, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who loved the preceding Wicked Lovely books

Shelves: 2011-reads, best-characters, best-couples, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, could-have-been-better, left-me-feeling-conflicted, left-me-with-mixed-feelings, love-it-for-the-characters, should-have-loved-it-but-didn-t, reviewed

(Actual Rating: 3.5 stars)

Wicked Lovely and I began an unsteady reading courtship back in the fall of 2008. Back then, I still was looking for a replacement to fill the hole Twilight had left (don't judge me) and the cover -- an oh-so-striking shot of a girl holding out a winter-frosted flower -- caught my eye. I dove into a world rife with faery court intrigues, odds between the very embodiments of Summer and Winter, and characters -- Aislinn, Donia, Seth, Keenan -- that frustrated me yet caugh...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Lora rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the series

Shelves: lib-read

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars.

All of the Faerie courts are in peril and both Keenan and Seth are missing. Devoid of the experience and advantages of the other faery monarchs, Aislinn is doing her best to rule and prepare for the impending War being incited by the malevolent Bananach. But without the Summer King and her newly turned faery lover at her side, how will she protect her already weakened court from destruction?

Apparently I'd forgotten exactly how much I enjoy Melissa Marr's writing. She has...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2011 Aine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, favorites, own-physical-copy, andrea, faery-tales

Oh. My. Goddess!

This book was amazing. I was able to read a borrowed copy the other day. It arrived in my mailbox Thursday, and I was up til 1:30 AM reading it. I could NOT put it down.

This is one of my favorite series, so when I got the book I hugged it close for a while, and then ate dinner while looking at it longingly, and then I dove into the prologue.

When it comes to series that I love so much and have such high expectations of, I'm always a bit nervous to read it. Will it live up to my e...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Darkest Mercy was more than a just satisfying ending to an unforgettable series.... it was brilliant. Epic even. I shall miss it.

Let me just get this out of the way right now. That whole thing with Keenan... how painfully obvious was that! I mean seriously.... did you give yourself the duh slap with that one, or what!?!? And for those of you that haven't read it yet, that won't probably mean anything, sorry about that.

I love this story and I love the characters. I'm going to miss them so much! U...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2010 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-s

*****Contains spoilers from previous Wicked Lovely books*****

After finishing the 5th and final Wicked Lovely book, I'm almost at a loss for words. Darkest Mercy was everything I hoped it would be and then some. It is, without a doubt, my favorite book in the whole series. Melissa Marr delivers a truly fantastic conclusion to a good series. I was wary at the beginning, unsure how things would turn out, but I’m satisfied with how the story ended.

I loved getting to read about the characters I’ve co...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 10, 2011 May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, favorites, fantasy

I won this book for free in a first-reads giveaway.

I was so absolutely thrilled when this arrived in the mail! I swear, I danced around the house for half an hour. It took me forever to read, mostly because life was busy, but it was fantastic. And amazing.

Every book in the series is a little bittersweet. There are things lost, but things won. In Darkest Mercy, the things won over-balance the things lost, I think. It was stunning, and while I'm sad it's over, at the same time I'm thrilled!

~~~W...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Kenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome-cover, favourite-series

*Before Reading*

I think I'm actually freaking out right now!

*checks pulse*

I AM!

AH!

This series is so riveting! It held my attention from the start and pulled me into the story. The characters are alternately easy to love and hate. Goodness gracious me. I love this series a lot more than I had originally planned.

I can't believe that it's still so amazing even after doing four books already. Some authors can't do that, but Melissa Marr definitely can. She knows how to keep up the conflict and to...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Juliette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recensione pubblicata sul blog Sweety Readers

Mentre Wicked Lovely e Ink Exchange mi avevano letteralmente conquistato, gli ultimi due libri della serie (Fragile Eternity e Radiant Shadows) non mi avevano entusiasmato granché, quindi, quando ho iniziato Darkest Mercy, ero davvero molto curiosa di scoprire se questo capitolo finale della serie si sarebbe rivelato una completa delusione o una bellissima lettura come lo erano stati i primi due volumi della saga!

E che dire ora?La Marr mi ha sorpreso...more Recensione pubblicata sul blog Sweety Readers

Mentre Wicked Lovely e Ink Exchange mi avevano letteralmente conquistato, gli ultimi due libri della serie (Fragile Eternity e Radiant Shadows) non mi avevano entusiasmato granché, quindi, quando ho iniziato Darkest Mercy, ero davvero molto curiosa di scoprire se questo capitolo finale della serie si sarebbe rivelato una completa delusione o una bellissima lettura come lo erano stati i primi due volumi della saga!

E che dire ora?La Marr mi ha sorpreso per l'ennesima volta, con un libro a dir poco meraviglioso che ho amato sin dalla prima pagina, e che è senza dubbio un finale perfetto per una delle migliori serie sulle fate mai esistite!
Vengo sempre travolta da un'ondata di tristezza quando arrivo a leggere l'ultimo capitolo di una saga. Wicked Lovely è stato il mio primo libro sulle fate, e anche se sono passati ben due anni da quando l'ho letto, questa serie rimane e rimarrà sempre una delle mie preferite, e occupa sicuramente un posto speciale nel mio cuore. Ammetto che con Fragile Eternity, e sopratutto con Radiant Shadows, il mio amore per la saga si è affievolito un pò, ma Darkest Mercy mi ha conquistato un'altra volta. Leggere questo libro mi ha fatto ritornare a due anni fa, quando ho letto e divorato in pochi giorni Wicked Lovely e Ink Exchange, ed è stato un pò come riscoprire l'intera serie e innamorarmene per una seconda volta.
Ma basta con i sentimentalismi, e vediamo cosa succederà in Darkest Mercy.
Ora che Bananach non si accontenta più della discordia ed è più forte che mai, vuole una guerra, ed è disposta a tutto pur di averla. L'unico modo di fermarla è ucciderla, ma la sua morte significherebbe anche quella di sua sorella, regina dell'Ordine, e di tutto il popolo fatato.
E' davvero troppo pericoloso lasciare che Bananach viva, ma quali altri modi ci sono per fermarla?Intanto Keenan è scomparso, lasciando Aislinn sola a prendersi cura della sua corte. Anche Seth non è più al suo fianco, e si trova da giorni nel mondo fatato. Ash vuole che ritornino enrambi indietro, ma sa bene che al loro ritorno dovrà scegliere definitivamente tra i due...

Amo i personaggi di questa serie!La Marr li rende cosi reali, fa in modo che il lettore riesca a capirli con facilità e a sentire le loro emozioni e sentimenti.
In questo libro li ho trovati davvero perfetti, forse perché la maggior parte di loro in quest'ultimo volume cresce e matura e alcuni cambiano completamente.

Ho amato Keenan e Donia!Sono una coppia davvero adorabile!Entrambi fanno molte scelte difficili in questo libro, e alcune di esse mi hanno lasciata completamente spiazzata, altre felicissima e altre ancora molto confusa, ma alla fine trovo comunque che la Marr abbia fatto un lavoro straordinario con questi due personaggi!
Anche Aislinn e Seth mi sono piaciuti di più in questo volume. Entrambi crescono e cambiano, diventano molto più complessi, completamente diversi dall'Aislinn e Seth del primo libro!
Per quanto riguarda il trio Niall/Irial/Leslie, ammetto che non avevo compreso molto bene come fosse finita tra loro tre, ma poi ho letto qualche recensione e ho finalmente capito tutto!Niall mi ha sorpreso abbastanza, anche se ora è il Re del buio, non mi aspettavo una reazione del genere, e all'inizio mi ha lasciato un pò spiazzata. Irial e Leslie non sono stati molto presenti nel libro, ma rimangono comunque due dei personaggi migliori della serie!Leggerò sicuramente lo spin-off sui tre personaggi per capire meglio il finale!

In quest'ultimo libro poi vengono introdotti anche due nuovi personaggi, Far Dorcha e Ankou. Non dirò niente su di loro per non rovinarvi la sorpresa, ma mi hanno incuriosito davvero tantissimo!Avrei tanto voluto scoprire di più su di loro e su ciò che fanno!

Il mio voto è ovviamente 5 stelline!Se seguite la serie, dovete assolutamente leggere Darkest Mercy, se invece non l'avete ancora iniziata, cosa aspettate?Wicked Lovely è una delle più belle serie sul mondo delle fate, decisamente una must-read per tutti i fan del genere!(less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Darkest Mercy is the fifth and final book in Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series.
Each Wicked Lovely book tells it’s own story, and Darkest Mercy is the perfect conclusion.

Each book is a story revolving around four faery courts: Winter, Summer, Dark, and High. The Winter and Summer Courts are the embodiment of their seasons, the Dark Court is surrounded by emotion, and the High Court is bound to provide order. Order and Discord take form in the High Queen, Sorcha, and her sister Bananach. But, Ba...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Kali rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-or-borrowed, fantasy, fey-fairies, magic, romance, paranormal, urban-fantasy, supernatural, young-adult, last-in-series

Finally. It wasn't how I wanted it, it wasn't as great as Wicked Lovely, but it redeemed the series. Although the ending sort of bothers me and I still have no clue what the whole point of banach/War was. I actually don't have a clue about a lot of things...partly why I didn't enjoy this series. The writing is so weird.

I did enjoy this book a lot more than 2, 3, 4, though. I'm not sure I would recommend this series as a whole though. I love the first book, it's still my favourite fairy book. I...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 21, 2011 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-100-book-challenge, 2011-release, mundie-moms-reviews

Review to come

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Rebecca ♥ Ash, Jem, Warner ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of dark faery tales, complicated teen angst, and HEAs!

Shelves: faeries, fantasy, young-adult, romance, provincial-library, cover-lust, paranormal, memorable-men, reviewed

This was an absolutely perfect ending to this unique series. It is possibly even a 4.5/5. Although I could have done without books 2 and 4. I hated 2 a lot because I find Irial to be a truly despicable character. And although I really enjoyed Devlin and Ani in book 4, they turned out to be mostly irrelevant to the larger story. I would have liked to see them again.

But, putting aside the Irial/Niall/Leslie sub-plot this series was nearly perfect. It was dark without being too dark, like Holly Bl...more This was an absolutely perfect ending to this unique series. It is possibly even a 4.5/5. Although I could have done without books 2 and 4. I hated 2 a lot because I find Irial to be a truly despicable character. And although I really enjoyed Devlin and Ani in book 4, they turned out to be mostly irrelevant to the larger story. I would have liked to see them again.

But, putting aside the Irial/Niall/Leslie sub-plot this series was nearly perfect. It was dark without being too dark, like Holly Black's Tithe, which I enjoyed although it was too dark for me at times. There was no shortage of romance and swoon-worthy guys. I'll admit Keenan finally grew on me in this book. Probably because he finally left Ash alone. I had never disliked him as much as Irial though. He was just too manipulative for my tastes, not downright evil like Irial. But Seth still has my heart in this one. And the fantasy and faery magic was so prevalent. We are fully immersed into faery courts and politics and war. Even more so than in The Iron Fey, seeing as nearly all the main characters were faery regents of the various courts. This is the first faery book I have read with more than 2 courts. There were 4 in the beginning, and later 5.

Another thing that I really loved about this series is that there are so many main characters. Usually a YA book will have 2 leads, a guy and a girl, who usually fall in love. In Wicked Lovely, I would say the leads were Ash and Keenan, but they didnt fall in love! And that seemed revolutionary to me at the time. But Seth isnt any less of an important character. Nor is Donia, or Niall. There are so many ppl you can care about. Some many couples you can put your heart behind. And they all got their HEA! Although I am a little weirded out by the Irial/Niall/Leslie ~~love-triangle~~ threesome. In a YA! They only ever hinted at Irial and Niall's feelings for each other, until in the end they made it pretty clear.

"The threads he could see for the two faeries were woven tightly together, and in many of the possible futures, he saw Leslie's not-quite-mortal, not-quite-fey thread wrapped with theirs. She wasn't anywhere near ready to stay with the Dark Court, but there were more than a few possible futures for her that brought her into a happy future with the two faeries who loved her and each other."

If it werent for that sub-plot, for Irial's character in general, or if it had kept its focus on the story as a whole instead of each book focusing on a different aspect of the story, I would have loved this series more than The Iron Fey. Yes, I said it! But it didn't happen that way, so I dont. :P(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 20, 2011 Steph Sinclair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, i-liked-it, fey, young-adult

Darkest Mercy was pretty much everything I thought it would be. Melissa Marr tied up all the loose ends from the previous novels in the series.

I wasn't super thrilled to read this book because, as usual, Melissa Marr's writing style tends to throw me for a loop initially. But I quickly became enthralled in the story. I was excited to see that most of the book was full of startling revelations from all of our characters. It was definitely enough to keep me turning pages.

In the final Wicked Love...more

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Jan 23, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-mt-bookpile

While you don't need to have read the previous books in the series, it definitely will help keep the different Courts and allegiances straight (although if might be better to read the first books right before reading this one, as distance can make things confusing!).

This is the last of the Wicked Lovely series, and many of the plot lines do get tied up. Not all, which is good because it's nice to have some room for the reader's imagination. All the major characters are here: Ash, Naill, Seth, Ir...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 21, 2012 Pamela rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

I was so shocked when I found out that the Wicked Lovely series is the first series I’ve finished in three months. This was supposed to make me sad and all that but all it made me feel was relieved.

Anyway, I read somewhere that something was going to happen at the beginning of the book so I was shocked when I found out that this specific event happened passed page 100. That was the beginning? What do you call the previous hundred pages, the prologue? And speaking of the real beginning, I was ete...more I was so shocked when I found out that the Wicked Lovely series is the first series I’ve finished in three months. This was supposed to make me sad and all that but all it made me feel was relieved.

Anyway, I read somewhere that something was going to happen at the beginning of the book so I was shocked when I found out that this specific event happened passed page 100. That was the beginning? What do you call the previous hundred pages, the prologue? And speaking of the real beginning, I was eternally annoyed at Donia and Keenan’s chapters, and of Aislinn’s too. There was just too much things that was irrelevant to the reader, to me. I also hated one chapter of Seth’s because it was a repeat of the final chapter of Radiant Shadows. I really don’t need to read a chapter twice to understand it. I guess I can say that this chapter was a waste of paper.

Speaking of wastes of paper, I believe that the whole series could be fit into one book. Why? Because there was so much things that needn’t be said but was there anyway.

There were also a lot of mistakes in the book but I don’t think I want to discuss it anymore since I’m free of the series and can now move on with my life.

The fighting scenes weren’t convincing. It says that there were a lot of faeries in the room but some of the others are just standing around and not being attacked? That’s impossible.

And I now officially hate switching perspectives because instead of getting each character’s different insights, I get NONE.

Nevertheless, I must admit that I would miss this series. It’s one that I’ve read and have journeyed with so it’s a bit sad that it’s all done now. I am grateful that I’m done with the series though. LOL, do I even make any sense?

I don’t think the ending was all that great. Everyone was just in everyone’s pants. Except Chela. Poor, poor Chela.

Overall, I guess you should read this if you want to finish the series (as I did) but if you don’t, you can skip this one.

Oh, maybe I should add my midnight reading insight here. I typed it out on my phone so I’ll just copy it. I won’t edit it anymore:

I got it! The reason why Donia and Keenan don’t seem to love each other is because Keenan never showed any sign that he cared for her. It’s like the author only thought of showing that now. Enter Donia: she’s like a girl who can’t figure out that she can never be with him. Ever. Now she acts all strong and distant like a stupid girl who wants vengeance but doesn’t do it either because of two things: she doesn’t know the word or she hasn’t really lived for 900 years. Melissa Marr has a small, small grasp on immortality that it’s probably nonexistent because she’s making her faery characters act like humans.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 06, 2011 Kristi-The Book Faery rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Any one who loves the FEY! Wicked Lovely followers, Melissa Marr lovers, YA-PNR fans

Shelves: ya-pnr-2010, ya-pnr-5-star, ya-pub-date-feb11, ya-series, melissa-marr-wicked-lovely-series

I have followed the Wicked Lovely series since its inception and I have loved every single word. I cried at the last page because I knew that I would no longer hear from my deliciously exciting friends in their deliciously exciting world that Melissa has created so wondrously and so wickedly :o]

Darkest Mercy held some surprises but not as many as I would have suspected and I thank Melissa for that; there is the loss of one character that I absolutely adored, starting in The Ink Exchange & Ra...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Angel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, 2011-release, harper-teen, faeries, ya, own

My original post:

I can't believe it's over.

Ugh my heart hurts so much. I am not coherent enough to write a proper review right now, but I LOVED IT. Thank you, Melissa, for such a wonderful, thought-provoking series.

A proper review:

Discovery: I’ve been patiently waiting for this novel, the final book in the Wicked Lovely/Tattoo Faeries (depending on who you ask) series, for years. I first read Wicked Lovely in November 2007 and it remains one of the best birthday presents I ever bought myself.

+...more My original post:

I can't believe it's over.

Ugh my heart hurts so much. I am not coherent enough to write a proper review right now, but I LOVED IT. Thank you, Melissa, for such a wonderful, thought-provoking series.

A proper review:

Discovery: I’ve been patiently waiting for this novel, the final book in the Wicked Lovely/Tattoo Faeries (depending on who you ask) series, for years. I first read Wicked Lovely in November 2007 and it remains one of the best birthday presents I ever bought myself.

+ Ensemble/world. One of the things I love most about this series is the vibrant cast of characters. Only Fragile Eternity (Book 3) served as a real sequel–Ink Exchange and Radiant Shadows opened different curtains on the WL stage. Darkest Mercy brings all the fey and humans together for one final satisfying stand. I really enjoyed the character development, especially in Niall, Irial, Donia and Keenan.

On a related note, I will be forever in awe of the world that Melissa Marr created. It’s creepy and passionate and so very alive that I’m scared the translation from text to screen (Wicked Lovely is going to be a movie!) will either take it too far or not far enough. The fey and their courts are perfectly nuanced in their presentation and it’s not hard to imagine this other world surrounding us.

+ Seth. It’s no secret that for the last four years, the teenager in me has harboured a tendre for Seth Morgan. This is a point for Melissa Marr’s characterization because I’ve never really found tattooed and pierced guys attractive. His attitude and actions speak far more than his appearance, though, and of all the characters in the series, he undergoes the most startling transformation.

I suppose what I like most about Seth is his determination. Wicked Lovely introduced him as Aislinn’s friend-who-wants-something-more, but didn’t stop there and that’s the best thing about it. The five books have seen him grow and experience pain and make decisions that speak of his maturity and acceptance of the faerie world around him. More than anything, his devotion to Aislinn isn’t blind: he pursues her and her world actively, making sure that when it all ends and whether either or both of them die, they see each other as equals.

+ Conclusion. I will argue with anyone on this, because I feel like it was the one of the most satisfying series endings I’ve ever read. I can’t say much without spoiling anyone, but I loved the simplicity and integrity of it. One of the themes in WL is the importance of compromise. These days, so much of the world is coloured gray and it isn’t easy to live a black-and-white existence. Marr’s faeries reflect our own on-the-fence choices and in the course of the series, they are each faced with decisions they don’t want to make. How they deal with it brings about conclusions none of them can foresee and the sheer bravery they display in return is commendable.

- Action scenes. In the course of reading this novel, I couldn’t help but compare it to Radiant Shadows, the previous book which I’ve read maybe 20 times. At times, it felt as though I was watching the action scenes happen through a blurry glass window. They didn’t feel real enough and I found myself wishing it would end so I would know who survived. In Radiant Shadows, I could barely keep myself from whimpering as my favourite characters took hits.

Recommendations: A stellar conclusion to a gorgeous series, this chapter will satisfy young adult readers, and provide lots of discussion, especially for faerie lovers.

Rating: Excellent.(less)

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Mar 20, 2011 Kelli (I'd So Rather Be Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Be still my heart!! I finally got what I wanted out of Melissa Marr: CLOSURE! My one complaint with her Wicked Lovely series has been the lack of definitive endings with each book in the series. Each book had its own arc, but she was introducing new characters before the old characters' stories were concluded. This made for great reading but left something to be desired, in my opinion, because I never got an ending to anyone's story.

I have been anxiously awaiting Darkest Mercy for months now and...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 12, 2011 JL (An Avid Reader's Musings) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, books-read-in-2010, reviewed

THE TWEET
DARKEST MERCY is the final book in the Wicked Lovely series, and author, Marr has written a fantastic and fitting end for her characters.

WHAT WORKED
Like the previous books in this series, Darkest Mercy explores the dangerous and seductive world of faerie and its inhabitants, as well as the humans they come into contact with. Marr has brought all of the characters from the previous books together for the perfect conclusion to their stories. I do not want to give anything away, so I'm afr...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 12, 2011 Laurel (The Book Garden) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, bought-first-hand

Here's my review from my blog The Book Garden:

*Warning....lots of utter sappiness!)

It's over. This series is over. I can't believe it. But Darkest Mercy was beautiful. It was the best finale ever, and this was easily the best Wicked Lovely book.

I love Melissa Marr. I love her characters-they are so easy to love and you really feel their emotions. Sometimes I was crying for them, sometimes I was mad for them, screaming in rage, or feeling extremely happy. She has loads of talent as a writer, and...more Here's my review from my blog The Book Garden:

*Warning....lots of utter sappiness!)

It's over. This series is over. I can't believe it. But Darkest Mercy was beautiful. It was the best finale ever, and this was easily the best Wicked Lovely book.

I love Melissa Marr. I love her characters-they are so easy to love and you really feel their emotions. Sometimes I was crying for them, sometimes I was mad for them, screaming in rage, or feeling extremely happy. She has loads of talent as a writer, and she has the unique ability to torture her characters. It's a hard thing to read when an author tortures her character, and from what I've written on my own, it's a hard thing to do.

Darkest Mercy (as well as the rest of the Wicked Lovely series) has the best cast of characters. They all will always remain in my heart, each having their own special spot. In this book, I enjoyed the characters more than ever before. I think that's because they reacted differently in Darkest Mercy than in previous novels, they were going through a lot more, each had their own torture moments, and their very own endings. Out of all the characters in these books, Keenan and Donia have always been my absolute favorites. I completely fell in love with them in the first one, and I have loved them ever since. They both make lots of choices in this book, some that will leave you sighing, and others that will leave you crying or frustrated. I also enjoyed Aislinn and Seth more in this book; I loved how they twisted into the plot, and they seemed so much stronger and more complex characters. Niall kinda went off the rails in Darkest Mercy, and I felt really bad for him, but I was also very interested to see which directions he would go in.

There's also a very interesting character that makes an entry in this book. He's mentioned in the summery, and his name's Far Dorcha. I will not say anything about him, to leave a sense of mysterey and for fear of spoilery, but I thought he was a very deep, complex, and interesting character. Same with Ankou. Definitely enjoyed them.

The plot was bang on. I raced through this book, trying to figure out what was going to happen, and before I knew it, I was staring at the last page. No matter how many times I willed myself to slow down, I kept reading and reading and reading. There were so many moments where I would get sweaty palms and my stomach would twist. There were moments of fear. I hope everyone will love the plot in Darkest Mercy just as much as I did.

The ending. This was a beautiful series with a beautiful ending. You will be left wiping tears from your eyes, and I know you will all love it. It's brilliant, and you see a closure for each character. See, Melissa Marr just has a thing with endings. No matter how each of her last four books end, whether they are sad, happy, romantic, or bittersweet......they are just enchanting. And Darkest Mercy's ending was the best of the best of the best. Seriously. I LOVED it. I couldn't think of a better ending.

This series was gorgeous. This is going to sound sappy, but....it'll remain in my heart forever. (less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Krys rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-pixie-themed, own, young-adult, urban-dark-fantasy-paranormal, twins, ghosts-hauntings, grim-reapers-death-necromancers, read-in-2010, third-person-narrative, autographed, series

There is a giveaway for this book, and several other books, here:

http://www.bibliopunkk.net/2012/10/au...

The books are all signed by the authors. Contest ends 11/20/2012

Come enter!

----------------------------------------------------------

...and so ends the great Melissa Marr reread of 2010... or in this book's case "first read". Le sigh. Darkest Mercy was the whole reason I decided the reread was in order in the first place. Now that they are over... sigh... where do we go now?

I'll miss the feel...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Crystal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, own, nook

WOW just wow! I know some authors don’t mind killing off certain characters but I have to say that Marr is fearless. I have been eagerly waiting for this last installment to Marr’s Lovely series and I am so so happy with the way things ended. The ride throughout this book is griping and painful but very necessary. The story takes off where the last ended, with War gaining strength and the other courts trying to find the strength to fight her. All hell breaks loose among the courts with all the d...more

9 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Chelle (crazytrinket) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I am not really a big fan of the series but I did like some of the character that is why for some reasons I am definitely going to miss this series. Darkest Mercy is the great way to end the series however there is some predictable instances with how the story goes. I kind of expected what will happen in the end so I am not really surprised at all.

Characters are still great; Keenan and Doria still remain my favorite one. Oh and Niall too, but Ash and Seth, I am sorry to say that I still can’t...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 06, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairies, young-adult

Can't wait to read Darkest Mercy. Melissa Marr is one of the best urban fantasy authors, and the Wicked Lovely series rock. I hate to see Julie Kagawa's trolls post negative reviews on Melissa's books as they've done with other young adult faery books. When Iron King was released, Melissa's Wicked Lovely books suddenly received a bunch of one-star reviews. Carrie Jones' and Lesley Livingston's books got a visit from the merry jk trolls.

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Jul 08, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, kindle, swoon, lovely-covers, fairies-and-magic

The Wicked Lovely series has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. I devoured the first three in a week and eagerly awaited Radiant Shadows (very disappointed with that one... but I try to forget about it). I held off reading DM because I was worried that, due to the books getting progressively less awesome, this one could be a dud. How wrong I was! It was so utterly readable - if that makes any sense at all. I've heard a lot of negative stuff about Marr's writing but I think she did a damn fin...more

3 likes · like · see review

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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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Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5)

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