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Wicked Lovely
Faery Tales & Nightmares
Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.
From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with...or to fear.
Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.
Table of Contents:
"Where Nightmares Walk"
"Winter's Kiss" (Fairy Tales)
"Transition" (Vampires)
"Love Struck" (Selchies)
"Old Habits" (WL World)
"Stopping Time" (WL World)
"The Art of Waiting"
"Flesh for Comfort"
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" (WL World-ish, the short story that started the series)
"Cotton Candy Skies" (WL World)
"Unexpected Family" (WL World)
"Merely Mortal" (WL World)
From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with...or to fear.
Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa Marr’s stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.
Table of Contents:
"Where Nightmares Walk"
"Winter's Kiss" (Fairy Tales)
"Transition" (Vampires)
"Love Struck" (Selchies)
"Old Habits" (WL World)
"Stopping Time" (WL World)
"The Art of Waiting"
"Flesh for Comfort"
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" (WL World-ish, the short story that started the series)
"Cotton Candy Skies" (WL World)
"Unexpected Family" (WL World)
"Merely Mortal" (WL World)
418 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2012
About the author
Melissa Marr
110 books12.6k followersMelissa Marr is a former university literature instructor who writes fiction for adults, teens, and children. She is best known for the Wicked Lovely series for teens, the Graveminder for adults, and her debut picturebook Bunny Roo, I Love You.
Her books have been translated into twenty-eight languages and been bestsellers internationally as well as domestically (NY Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal).Accolades include starred reviews on numerous books, YALSA Popular Paperbacks, IRA Notable Book Pick, Book Sense Pick (YA and adult), Good Morning America Summer Pick for Teens, Scottish Book Trust, Red Maple finalist (in both Ontario and Manitoba), and Goodreads Good Choice Award (Horror), RWA RITA award (YA).
She also write romance for adults as Ronnie Douglas.
She co-authored (with Kelley Armstrong) a MG trilogy as M.A. Marr.
In addition to novels, Melissa has co-edited several anthologies, as well as published short fiction, manga, and prose non-fiction.
She currently lives with her family in Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 394 reviews
April 8, 2012
I finally worked out what it is about Melissa Marr's writing that keeps leaving me so unsatisfied! It's bland. She has characters who range from being calm and centered to fairies whose entire psychological make-up hinges on them being emotionally volatile but they all sound the same. The writing is terrible at actually invoking emotion, Marr uses the Dark Court's ability to taste emotion as a crutch far too often. Here, take a look:
I'm glad you're here to tell me that Niall since Seth's POV seems incapable of transmitting that to me viscerally. It's a consistent problem with the Wicked Lovely stories, moments that ought to be emotionally fraught and leaving me taut with tension just don't. I'm happy for Marr's characters that they're emotionally self-aware and capable of analyzing and acting in the manner best for themselves but it leaves me bored. I acknowledge this could just be a personal problem; the popularity of the Wicked Lovely series would indicate very few others feel as I do.
There are stories here that aren't set in the Wicked Lovely verse as well. Many of them I'd read before in prior anthologies and found them just as mediocre on this second try. I'd say my favourite story out of this anthology is Winter's Kiss. The fairytale tone forces Marr to write outside of her usual voice and it was a refreshing change. The way Marr just says what people are feeling works much better in the compressed fairytale format. I'd happily read it as a longer novel if I didn't suspect the format would have Marr falling back into the same Wicked Lovely emotions issue. An overall decent collection that nonetheless leaves me concluding Melissa Marr doesn't work for me. 3 stars
”You remember telling me you could taste emotions?” Seth asked.
Nial nodded.
“Do I forgive you?”
“Don't know.” Niall took a drag off the cigarette. “You're conflicted about something. For the King of Order—”
“Not a king.” Seth winced. He didn't want to be in charge of anyone, and he didn't want to be the one who'd have to stand against Niall ever again either. He's agreed to it so as to help Niall in the middle of a war, but the past week, the reality of what it could mean weighed on him.
Niall turned and looked at him. “Whatever you call it Seth. The faery who balances me...you're not too orderly. Anger, worry, doubt, fear, and”—Niall inhaled—“hope.”
I'm glad you're here to tell me that Niall since Seth's POV seems incapable of transmitting that to me viscerally. It's a consistent problem with the Wicked Lovely stories, moments that ought to be emotionally fraught and leaving me taut with tension just don't. I'm happy for Marr's characters that they're emotionally self-aware and capable of analyzing and acting in the manner best for themselves but it leaves me bored. I acknowledge this could just be a personal problem; the popularity of the Wicked Lovely series would indicate very few others feel as I do.
There are stories here that aren't set in the Wicked Lovely verse as well. Many of them I'd read before in prior anthologies and found them just as mediocre on this second try. I'd say my favourite story out of this anthology is Winter's Kiss. The fairytale tone forces Marr to write outside of her usual voice and it was a refreshing change. The way Marr just says what people are feeling works much better in the compressed fairytale format. I'd happily read it as a longer novel if I didn't suspect the format would have Marr falling back into the same Wicked Lovely emotions issue. An overall decent collection that nonetheless leaves me concluding Melissa Marr doesn't work for me. 3 stars
February 4, 2013
Deliciously dark, enchanting and hauntingly sinister this collection of fairytales merged with folklore is simply stunning.
I would highly recommend this book for readers who have read Melissa Marr’s ‘The Wicked Lovely’ series (a compilation of five books), as many favorite characters within the series is included in these stories. Together with exciting accounts of new characters for you to either fear or fall in love with, this supremely sublime book contains a concoction of old and new. Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention – with amorous or sinister intent – relentlessly. These twelve fresh, original tales beautifully blend supernatural fantasy with intoxicating, impassioned romance amid spinechilling horror that is delicately interwoven.
From the heart-pounding intensity of fervent passion to the ice-cold, shivers that run down your spine these delightful, readable tales will have you sat on the edge of your seat in suspense. Encapsulating all that I love within the Young Adult genre, this well-balanced book includes an exquisite blend of fantasy and vividly creative imagination, teenage romance and fast-paced, thrilling action with such concentrated momentum and substance.
In ‘Winters Kiss’ you are transported back in time into a historical masterpiece, where acutely ancient detail is captured perfectly as remicent of Medieval times with a magical blend. In contrast ‘Transition’ oozes a classy, contemporary twist in which you can instantly connect with its distinctly modern feel. ‘Love Struck’ akin to the Twilight Saga or other mesmerizing teenage romances, had me entranced by the characters and lost within their poignant story. Wherein ‘Merely Mortal’ has that feel and quality of Cassandra Clare’s ‘the mortal instruments’ series, in which you are swept away by the scope of such a paranormal phenomenon and I just loved how modern day entwined with something past created this unique story.
I would highly recommend this book for readers who have read Melissa Marr’s ‘The Wicked Lovely’ series (a compilation of five books), as many favorite characters within the series is included in these stories. Together with exciting accounts of new characters for you to either fear or fall in love with, this supremely sublime book contains a concoction of old and new. Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments, dark and light. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from under the seas or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention – with amorous or sinister intent – relentlessly. These twelve fresh, original tales beautifully blend supernatural fantasy with intoxicating, impassioned romance amid spinechilling horror that is delicately interwoven.
From the heart-pounding intensity of fervent passion to the ice-cold, shivers that run down your spine these delightful, readable tales will have you sat on the edge of your seat in suspense. Encapsulating all that I love within the Young Adult genre, this well-balanced book includes an exquisite blend of fantasy and vividly creative imagination, teenage romance and fast-paced, thrilling action with such concentrated momentum and substance.
In ‘Winters Kiss’ you are transported back in time into a historical masterpiece, where acutely ancient detail is captured perfectly as remicent of Medieval times with a magical blend. In contrast ‘Transition’ oozes a classy, contemporary twist in which you can instantly connect with its distinctly modern feel. ‘Love Struck’ akin to the Twilight Saga or other mesmerizing teenage romances, had me entranced by the characters and lost within their poignant story. Wherein ‘Merely Mortal’ has that feel and quality of Cassandra Clare’s ‘the mortal instruments’ series, in which you are swept away by the scope of such a paranormal phenomenon and I just loved how modern day entwined with something past created this unique story.
May 8, 2012
Non-Wicked Lovely stories originally reviewed here.
Wicked Lovely stories originally reviewed here.
The non-WL stories:
WHERE NIGHTMARES WALK
This very short story works as somewhat of an introduction into the book, and lets you realize right off the bat that it will indeed be as much about nightmares as about faery tales. It’s a chilling intro that will make you fear the night.
WINTER’S KISS
This short story evokes the image of a traditional fairy tale, but one you haven’t heard before. It tells the tale of a princess who has the curse of icy breath, and the snow bear that would see it as a gift. Winter’s Kiss is charming, beautiful, and a reminder of perspective.
TRANSITION
Eliana has been getting weird and uncontrollable headaches. She loses time—she can’t remember hours of her life. She’s stopped talking to doctors, they just think she’s crazy, and she’s begun to self medicate with drugs of another sort. When she ends up in the graveyard with the boy she’s currently seeing, she can’t get her mind off someone something else, and she can’t help feeling as if the statue is watching her.
Transition is a chilling vampire story about the circle of life (or death…or undeath, see what I did there?) in which Melissa Marr puts her own tale into a fairly traditional (and thus sexy and gory) lore. This type of story right here is the reason people love vamps, and not the sparkly kind.
LOVE STRUCK
Every once in a while, I feel like I get as much out of a short story as I do out of a full-length book. This is one of those times. Love Struck was a beautiful love story and fairy tale, about selchies. Selchies! I’ve been enamored with Selchies since The Secret of Roan Inish, and have been craving more. I mean…who wants mermaids when selchies are about, really? At least you don’t have to question the logistics of their anatomy quite so much…
Alana is chosen to be the mate of Murrin, who intends to court her, but instead he accidently traps her as has been done for generations. She holds his Other Skin, is compelled to hide it, and she cannot return it unless he finds it himself. Alana doesn’t want to break her own rules, she doesn’t want a relationship, and certainly not one with some guy she barely knows. She’s convinced that it’s the selchie magic drawing her to Murrin, and is deeply torn between wanting to be with him and wanting freedom for both of them. Love Struck was a beautifully rendered tale, and I adored it. It was the non-Wicked Lovely story in this collection that I was looking forward to most, and it did not disappoint!
THE ART OF WAITING
This title made me think of the poem One Art by Elizabeth Bishop. It’s the story of a small hamlet of a town, that is incased in snow and ice each winter that melts to beauty in the spring. A man and his daughter come to the town, and the townspeople wait to see if they, like so many others, will leave.
This short is perfect for anyone who lives in a quaint little town and loves it. It’s hard for people to understand this mentality, but those who live there wouldn’t have it any other way.
FLESH FOR COMFORT
A disturbing tale about what we are willing to go through for beauty. A poor girl in a mountain town knows she will never get out. She is not rich enough, or attractive enough. But when a mysterious creature offers to make her beautiful, she is tempted, knowing if she were attractive enough she could trade flesh for comfort and escape.
These six stories range in length from about 3 to 60 pages, and are all very worth reading! I particularly enjoyed Love Struck, and the most disturbing award goes to Flesh for Comfort. Enjoy!
The Wicked Lovely stories:
THE SLEEPING GIRL AND THE SUMMER KING
I knew that this story was described as Wicked Lovely-ish, but before reading it I didn’t really understand why. This was the short story that Melissa Marr wrote that later turned into the series, however, The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King is quite different than the series itself. You can see that the structure is there (and a character named Aisling!), but it is still very much its own story.
Each winter, a girl falls asleep, and spring only returns when she dreams of it. Throughout the summer, she spends her days basking in the sun with the summer king, until finally she comes of age where she is too old to sleep again. At this time, she is presented with a choice: stay young forever as one of the many girls of summer, or age as winter. Only if she chooses winter will its previous barer be free, but the allure of both sides is strong.
COTTON CANDY SKIES
This was the WL story I was most excited to read when I picked up Faery Tales and Nightmares. I probably would have been more excited about Old Habits and Stopping Time, but I’d already read them, and I knew Cotton Candy Skies featured my other WL favorite—The Shadow Court. I love Devlin and Ani, and was super excited at the chance to see them again, so I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t a little disappointed that they were barely in this story. However, when I thought about it, it made sense. They’d already had their happy ending, and there were others that still needed some tying up. That’s where this story, and Rabbit came in.
Cotton Candy Skies features Rabbit, Ani and Tish’s older brother and father figure, who has found himself sealed in Faerie. He feels at a loss, unsure of what to do with himself that will make him feel worthwhile in the same way that he felt needed and worthwhile in the outside world. It was fun to have a story about Rabbit, a minor character that I always liked, but we never heard much from. It was the perfect choice for a Shadow Court tale, and in the end it may not be my favorite in the collection, but I was happy nonetheless.
UNEXPECTED FAMILY
Unexpected Family takes place about a week after the events of Darkest Mercy conclude, and it’s a Seth story (yay!). Seth receives a letter from his mortal parents insisting that he visit them, indicating some urgency. He hasn’t seen his parents in several years, and while they have an amicable relationship, he’s certainly not in the mood to leave Huntsdale after all of the upheaval. For his family, however, he will. Seth bids goodbye to Aisling, and requests that Niall accompany him to California, knowing that he and Niall have to work out their differences. Seth doesn’t want to lose Niall as a brother, but he knows there will be friction as his opposite.
I enjoyed this story a fair amount, particularly because Seth is one of the most interesting characters in the Wicked Lovely series. With three courts heavily invested in his welfare as son, lover, and brother, is it any surprise that he’s generally a good guy? Unexpected Family was probably my favorite WL story in this collection, though it would honestly be behind Old Habbits and Stopping Time which I read previously.
MERELY MORTAL
Unfortunately, Merely Mortal ended up placing as my least favorite story in this anthology. It’s a shame, being as it was also that last story in this collection, and therefore left me feeling a little down on it (even though the bulk of stories were wonderful).
Merely Mortal is a story of Keenan and Donia, attempting to cope as a real couple for the first time in over a century. They have loved each other for a very long time, but have never been able to surmount the obstacles standing in their way. Now, finally, Keenan has given up his regency and is free to love Donia, however, he has also given up his immortality. After 900 years, Keenan is mortal, delicate, and easily broken. He wants to attempt to become fae again, but Donia is so afraid of him being hurt. Merely Mortal tells a light tale of this couple vacationing—something rare and unusual for any fae reagents.
OLD HABITS AND STOPPING TIME
I’m honestly going to kind of gloss over these two stories because I read them as e-book singles while I was reading the Wicked Lovely series last year, and chose not to reread them when they were published in this collection. They are the two longest stories in the book, each more a novella than a short story, they make up about 1/3 of the text in Faery Tales and Nightmares.
Let’s just suffice it to say that if you love Niall, Irial, and Leslie (and if you don’t, I really think you’re missing out), you must check out Old Habbits and Stopping Time. Stopping Time focuses largely on Niall and Leslie, while Old Habbits focuses largely on the relationship between Niall and Irial. To me, these three characters are the most compelling of the entire series, and getting these extra novellas to explore the relationships between my favorite characters was time well spent!
Wicked Lovely stories originally reviewed here.
The non-WL stories:
WHERE NIGHTMARES WALK
This very short story works as somewhat of an introduction into the book, and lets you realize right off the bat that it will indeed be as much about nightmares as about faery tales. It’s a chilling intro that will make you fear the night.
WINTER’S KISS
This short story evokes the image of a traditional fairy tale, but one you haven’t heard before. It tells the tale of a princess who has the curse of icy breath, and the snow bear that would see it as a gift. Winter’s Kiss is charming, beautiful, and a reminder of perspective.
TRANSITION
Eliana has been getting weird and uncontrollable headaches. She loses time—she can’t remember hours of her life. She’s stopped talking to doctors, they just think she’s crazy, and she’s begun to self medicate with drugs of another sort. When she ends up in the graveyard with the boy she’s currently seeing, she can’t get her mind off someone something else, and she can’t help feeling as if the statue is watching her.
Transition is a chilling vampire story about the circle of life (or death…or undeath, see what I did there?) in which Melissa Marr puts her own tale into a fairly traditional (and thus sexy and gory) lore. This type of story right here is the reason people love vamps, and not the sparkly kind.
LOVE STRUCK
Every once in a while, I feel like I get as much out of a short story as I do out of a full-length book. This is one of those times. Love Struck was a beautiful love story and fairy tale, about selchies. Selchies! I’ve been enamored with Selchies since The Secret of Roan Inish, and have been craving more. I mean…who wants mermaids when selchies are about, really? At least you don’t have to question the logistics of their anatomy quite so much…
Alana is chosen to be the mate of Murrin, who intends to court her, but instead he accidently traps her as has been done for generations. She holds his Other Skin, is compelled to hide it, and she cannot return it unless he finds it himself. Alana doesn’t want to break her own rules, she doesn’t want a relationship, and certainly not one with some guy she barely knows. She’s convinced that it’s the selchie magic drawing her to Murrin, and is deeply torn between wanting to be with him and wanting freedom for both of them. Love Struck was a beautifully rendered tale, and I adored it. It was the non-Wicked Lovely story in this collection that I was looking forward to most, and it did not disappoint!
THE ART OF WAITING
This title made me think of the poem One Art by Elizabeth Bishop. It’s the story of a small hamlet of a town, that is incased in snow and ice each winter that melts to beauty in the spring. A man and his daughter come to the town, and the townspeople wait to see if they, like so many others, will leave.
This short is perfect for anyone who lives in a quaint little town and loves it. It’s hard for people to understand this mentality, but those who live there wouldn’t have it any other way.
FLESH FOR COMFORT
A disturbing tale about what we are willing to go through for beauty. A poor girl in a mountain town knows she will never get out. She is not rich enough, or attractive enough. But when a mysterious creature offers to make her beautiful, she is tempted, knowing if she were attractive enough she could trade flesh for comfort and escape.
These six stories range in length from about 3 to 60 pages, and are all very worth reading! I particularly enjoyed Love Struck, and the most disturbing award goes to Flesh for Comfort. Enjoy!
The Wicked Lovely stories:
THE SLEEPING GIRL AND THE SUMMER KING
I knew that this story was described as Wicked Lovely-ish, but before reading it I didn’t really understand why. This was the short story that Melissa Marr wrote that later turned into the series, however, The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King is quite different than the series itself. You can see that the structure is there (and a character named Aisling!), but it is still very much its own story.
Each winter, a girl falls asleep, and spring only returns when she dreams of it. Throughout the summer, she spends her days basking in the sun with the summer king, until finally she comes of age where she is too old to sleep again. At this time, she is presented with a choice: stay young forever as one of the many girls of summer, or age as winter. Only if she chooses winter will its previous barer be free, but the allure of both sides is strong.
COTTON CANDY SKIES
This was the WL story I was most excited to read when I picked up Faery Tales and Nightmares. I probably would have been more excited about Old Habits and Stopping Time, but I’d already read them, and I knew Cotton Candy Skies featured my other WL favorite—The Shadow Court. I love Devlin and Ani, and was super excited at the chance to see them again, so I’m not going to lie and say I wasn’t a little disappointed that they were barely in this story. However, when I thought about it, it made sense. They’d already had their happy ending, and there were others that still needed some tying up. That’s where this story, and Rabbit came in.
Cotton Candy Skies features Rabbit, Ani and Tish’s older brother and father figure, who has found himself sealed in Faerie. He feels at a loss, unsure of what to do with himself that will make him feel worthwhile in the same way that he felt needed and worthwhile in the outside world. It was fun to have a story about Rabbit, a minor character that I always liked, but we never heard much from. It was the perfect choice for a Shadow Court tale, and in the end it may not be my favorite in the collection, but I was happy nonetheless.
UNEXPECTED FAMILY
Unexpected Family takes place about a week after the events of Darkest Mercy conclude, and it’s a Seth story (yay!). Seth receives a letter from his mortal parents insisting that he visit them, indicating some urgency. He hasn’t seen his parents in several years, and while they have an amicable relationship, he’s certainly not in the mood to leave Huntsdale after all of the upheaval. For his family, however, he will. Seth bids goodbye to Aisling, and requests that Niall accompany him to California, knowing that he and Niall have to work out their differences. Seth doesn’t want to lose Niall as a brother, but he knows there will be friction as his opposite.
I enjoyed this story a fair amount, particularly because Seth is one of the most interesting characters in the Wicked Lovely series. With three courts heavily invested in his welfare as son, lover, and brother, is it any surprise that he’s generally a good guy? Unexpected Family was probably my favorite WL story in this collection, though it would honestly be behind Old Habbits and Stopping Time which I read previously.
MERELY MORTAL
Unfortunately, Merely Mortal ended up placing as my least favorite story in this anthology. It’s a shame, being as it was also that last story in this collection, and therefore left me feeling a little down on it (even though the bulk of stories were wonderful).
Merely Mortal is a story of Keenan and Donia, attempting to cope as a real couple for the first time in over a century. They have loved each other for a very long time, but have never been able to surmount the obstacles standing in their way. Now, finally, Keenan has given up his regency and is free to love Donia, however, he has also given up his immortality. After 900 years, Keenan is mortal, delicate, and easily broken. He wants to attempt to become fae again, but Donia is so afraid of him being hurt. Merely Mortal tells a light tale of this couple vacationing—something rare and unusual for any fae reagents.
OLD HABITS AND STOPPING TIME
I’m honestly going to kind of gloss over these two stories because I read them as e-book singles while I was reading the Wicked Lovely series last year, and chose not to reread them when they were published in this collection. They are the two longest stories in the book, each more a novella than a short story, they make up about 1/3 of the text in Faery Tales and Nightmares.
Let’s just suffice it to say that if you love Niall, Irial, and Leslie (and if you don’t, I really think you’re missing out), you must check out Old Habbits and Stopping Time. Stopping Time focuses largely on Niall and Leslie, while Old Habbits focuses largely on the relationship between Niall and Irial. To me, these three characters are the most compelling of the entire series, and getting these extra novellas to explore the relationships between my favorite characters was time well spent!
March 28, 2012
THE FAERYS VIEW
Melissa Marr is one of my favorite authors, of course me loving all things Fae has nothing to do with it but The Wicked Lovely Series will forever be one of my favorite series so I had to give Faery Tales and Nightmares a try even though short story compilations aren’t really my thing. In Ms. Marr’s case, she made reading short stories so pleasurable that I’m hoping against hope that she’ll do it again!
Faery Tales and Nightmares is compiled of twelve short stories, most of them revolving around characters in Ms. Marr’s most wickedly awesome Wicked Lovely series but not all of them. There are some fabulous stories that delivered deliciously dark and decadent reading-in true Melissa Marr style. Ms. Marr’s creative imagination knows no bounds and I���m forever in awe of her ability to draw me into a story to the point where I’m right there with the characters-in living color! Very few authors are as accomplished as Ms. Marr: her characters are well fleshed out, beautifully portrayed and step off the page realistic. Every story is vivid with exquisite detail and carried me along on a tide of pure happiness from start to finish. Every ending was absolutely perfect for each story which left me with an extremely satisfied feeling!
My favorite non-Wicked Lovely Stories:
Transition: a vampiric pleasure that I truly loved! A young girl get’s the last laugh in this creepy yet clever tale.
Love Struck was fantastic! A tale about two Selchie [Selkie] brothers and an unwitting girl on a beach. It had a great story based on Selchie lore and a beautiful love story but… what love story ever goes off without a BIG hitch?
My Favorite Wicked Lovely stories were:
Unexpected Family: This takes place AFTER Darkest Mercy when Seth receives a letter from his parents who are on vacation. They rarely contact Seth and they are in trouble, Seth takes Niall with him and what happens when they reach Seth’s parents is not exactly what they were expecting.
Cotton Candy Skies: Rabbit, sweet Rabbit is in Faery and although he has everything he could possibly want at his disposal, he’s lonely and grieving the loss of Tish. Then he meets Olivia, remember her? She’s the artist that paints with the sky and completely anti-social, that is until she meets Rabbit. Will Rabbit finally have a life and love of his own?
I truly loved Faery Tales and Nightmares and I can’t say there was one story in there that I didn’t like, I loved them all but to review them all would take me pages so I plucked out some favorites!
THE FAERY SAYS FAERY TALES AND NIGHTMARES SET MY WINGS A’FLUTTER!
Melissa Marr is one of my favorite authors, of course me loving all things Fae has nothing to do with it but The Wicked Lovely Series will forever be one of my favorite series so I had to give Faery Tales and Nightmares a try even though short story compilations aren’t really my thing. In Ms. Marr’s case, she made reading short stories so pleasurable that I’m hoping against hope that she’ll do it again!
Faery Tales and Nightmares is compiled of twelve short stories, most of them revolving around characters in Ms. Marr’s most wickedly awesome Wicked Lovely series but not all of them. There are some fabulous stories that delivered deliciously dark and decadent reading-in true Melissa Marr style. Ms. Marr’s creative imagination knows no bounds and I���m forever in awe of her ability to draw me into a story to the point where I’m right there with the characters-in living color! Very few authors are as accomplished as Ms. Marr: her characters are well fleshed out, beautifully portrayed and step off the page realistic. Every story is vivid with exquisite detail and carried me along on a tide of pure happiness from start to finish. Every ending was absolutely perfect for each story which left me with an extremely satisfied feeling!
My favorite non-Wicked Lovely Stories:
Transition: a vampiric pleasure that I truly loved! A young girl get’s the last laugh in this creepy yet clever tale.
Love Struck was fantastic! A tale about two Selchie [Selkie] brothers and an unwitting girl on a beach. It had a great story based on Selchie lore and a beautiful love story but… what love story ever goes off without a BIG hitch?
My Favorite Wicked Lovely stories were:
Unexpected Family: This takes place AFTER Darkest Mercy when Seth receives a letter from his parents who are on vacation. They rarely contact Seth and they are in trouble, Seth takes Niall with him and what happens when they reach Seth’s parents is not exactly what they were expecting.
Cotton Candy Skies: Rabbit, sweet Rabbit is in Faery and although he has everything he could possibly want at his disposal, he’s lonely and grieving the loss of Tish. Then he meets Olivia, remember her? She’s the artist that paints with the sky and completely anti-social, that is until she meets Rabbit. Will Rabbit finally have a life and love of his own?
I truly loved Faery Tales and Nightmares and I can’t say there was one story in there that I didn’t like, I loved them all but to review them all would take me pages so I plucked out some favorites!
THE FAERY SAYS FAERY TALES AND NIGHTMARES SET MY WINGS A’FLUTTER!
September 25, 2013
We all know how captivating Melissa Marr’s books are. So when I found out that she would be releasing a collection of short stories, I was more than eager to get my hands on it. Faery Tales & Nightmares is compiled of twelve short stories, half of which follow the characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely series.
I am a sucker for anything with the name Melissa Marr attached to it. The Wicked Lovely Series and Graveminder are all in my list of favorite reads. This compilation of short stories was like a treat for a fan like me. It offered sights of adored characters such as Irial, Nial, Seth, Devlin, Ani, and others. I really miss these remarkable people and it was a treat to have them back, even if it was for a short time.
The Summer King, Love Struck, Old Habits, Winter’s Kiss, and The Sleeping Girl were among my favorites in this assemblage. These short literary works of fiction were full of riveting emotions and truly original. I have to say that Faery Tales & Nightmares was beautifully put together and each story held its own. The vibrant descriptions that Marr incorporate in her writing are just one of the reasons I love her works. Even with short stories, Marr always manages to take her readers to new levels like no other.
I am a sucker for anything with the name Melissa Marr attached to it. The Wicked Lovely Series and Graveminder are all in my list of favorite reads. This compilation of short stories was like a treat for a fan like me. It offered sights of adored characters such as Irial, Nial, Seth, Devlin, Ani, and others. I really miss these remarkable people and it was a treat to have them back, even if it was for a short time.
The Summer King, Love Struck, Old Habits, Winter’s Kiss, and The Sleeping Girl were among my favorites in this assemblage. These short literary works of fiction were full of riveting emotions and truly original. I have to say that Faery Tales & Nightmares was beautifully put together and each story held its own. The vibrant descriptions that Marr incorporate in her writing are just one of the reasons I love her works. Even with short stories, Marr always manages to take her readers to new levels like no other.
June 7, 2019
It was pretty good. Great to read some of Melissa Marr's short stories.
February 19, 2012
I have only read the Wicked Lovely short stories, and I was deciding how to rate this.. so I went with the basic 4 stars and rate each story individually:
**SPOILER ALER**
"Stopping Time" 4 stars
Previously read... edited comments from previous review: I thought this was a great little story about Irial, Niall and Leslie. It made me like Irial more, ponder his relationship with Niall even more. There has been a few hints regarding Nialls and Irials real relationship. This story, however, has confirmed it, for me at least, that it is not the type of love that Seth and Niall share (brotherly, friendship etc), its was (and still is) a real love. As is their love for Leslie. So, that would make them both bisexual? Or are faeries bisexual in general? But then again, they are all different types of creatures - that might mean they are trisexual?
I thought this was a nice little story about Leslie trying to come to terms with her feelings for both of them while trying to move on in the real world, them coming to terms with their feelings for her, and for each other. I can't say there are too many love triangles out there where all parties involved feel the others should be together, much less encourage it.
I also liked know what actually happened to Ren - especially for those who hoped something had happened to him
"Old Habits" 4 stars
Previously read... It seems I didn't have comments from when I previously read this. Well, anyway, of course I loved this story.. look who it was about! I love me some of the Dark Court boys :)
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" 2.5 stars
This one was hard to rate... cause whilst the story itself didn't do anything for me, I must remember, this is what started the whole Wicked Lovely series! But in all honest, after reading the series, this story does not really compare. And the girls name really put me off, Aisling, way to close to WL for my brain to process at midnight.
"Cotton Candy Skies" 3.5 stars
I have been dying to read this story for a very long time!! I wanted to know what happended in Faery after it was closed! What happened to Rabbit and Ani. Well this is really Rabbit's story, and whilst things happened rather quickly in it, it was a nice little wrap on him. However, I still want to know where their mother is!!!
"Unexpected Family" 5 stars
This, the story that I didn't know much about, proved to be my favourite of the lot. For multiple reasons: 1) It was set after Darkest Mercy, 2) It was about Seth, 3) IT HAS THE BEST PARAGRAPH IN THE WHOLE WICKED LOVELY SERIES - in my opinion! Well done to Melissa Marr for pushing the standards for YA, I am very impressed). So anyway, back to the story, its about Seth, and his parents finally come into it (no, not weirdo faery queen either). It was nice to meet them, even though under bizarre circumstances. I thought the "revealing" was all a little to quick, but, it is a short story after all! And Seth's gets new powers - much like his "mother", he make whatever he wants materialise in front of him - that is a rather cool twist to it, since no one outside of Faery has that power!
"Merely Mortal" 3.5 stars
Previously read... I thought this was a nice little story about Keenan and Donia, although, I am glad it was an extra and not put in the book - I think the book was better without it (for flow etc). I like Donia's happily ever after etc. I also loved the part about being caught and put on the internet thing (oh YouTube, your power is everywhere).
**SPOILER ALER**
"Stopping Time" 4 stars
Previously read... edited comments from previous review: I thought this was a great little story about Irial, Niall and Leslie. It made me like Irial more, ponder his relationship with Niall even more. There has been a few hints regarding Nialls and Irials real relationship. This story, however, has confirmed it, for me at least, that it is not the type of love that Seth and Niall share (brotherly, friendship etc), its was (and still is) a real love. As is their love for Leslie. So, that would make them both bisexual? Or are faeries bisexual in general? But then again, they are all different types of creatures - that might mean they are trisexual?
I thought this was a nice little story about Leslie trying to come to terms with her feelings for both of them while trying to move on in the real world, them coming to terms with their feelings for her, and for each other. I can't say there are too many love triangles out there where all parties involved feel the others should be together, much less encourage it.
I also liked know what actually happened to Ren - especially for those who hoped something had happened to him
"Old Habits" 4 stars
Previously read... It seems I didn't have comments from when I previously read this. Well, anyway, of course I loved this story.. look who it was about! I love me some of the Dark Court boys :)
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" 2.5 stars
This one was hard to rate... cause whilst the story itself didn't do anything for me, I must remember, this is what started the whole Wicked Lovely series! But in all honest, after reading the series, this story does not really compare. And the girls name really put me off, Aisling, way to close to WL for my brain to process at midnight.
"Cotton Candy Skies" 3.5 stars
I have been dying to read this story for a very long time!! I wanted to know what happended in Faery after it was closed! What happened to Rabbit and Ani. Well this is really Rabbit's story, and whilst things happened rather quickly in it, it was a nice little wrap on him. However, I still want to know where their mother is!!!
"Unexpected Family" 5 stars
This, the story that I didn't know much about, proved to be my favourite of the lot. For multiple reasons: 1) It was set after Darkest Mercy, 2) It was about Seth, 3) IT HAS THE BEST PARAGRAPH IN THE WHOLE WICKED LOVELY SERIES - in my opinion! Well done to Melissa Marr for pushing the standards for YA, I am very impressed). So anyway, back to the story, its about Seth, and his parents finally come into it (no, not weirdo faery queen either). It was nice to meet them, even though under bizarre circumstances. I thought the "revealing" was all a little to quick, but, it is a short story after all! And Seth's gets new powers - much like his "mother", he make whatever he wants materialise in front of him - that is a rather cool twist to it, since no one outside of Faery has that power!
"Merely Mortal" 3.5 stars
Previously read... I thought this was a nice little story about Keenan and Donia, although, I am glad it was an extra and not put in the book - I think the book was better without it (for flow etc). I like Donia's happily ever after etc. I also loved the part about being caught and put on the internet thing (oh YouTube, your power is everywhere).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2012
I was a good idea for Marr to gather her short stories from her anthologies and online ebook offerings into one book. But unfortunately for me I'd already read a substantial portion of the book since I got most of the anthologies out of the library and I actually did buy the ebooks that make up a big chuck of it. I still re-read them all and they were fine, but it didn't change my original three star rating of any of them. I did enjoy the two new stories from the Wicked Lovely world, it was nice to revisit the characters and see a bit of what happened after the series ended. But I do have to say that Seth still isn't my favorite character, he's still too perfect to really be interesting, too much of a male Mary Sue, always doing the thoughtful, cool, smart, sweet, brave, perfect thing in any situation. Nevertheless, I did enjoy seeing a bit of resolution for his situation and his relationship with Niall. And I liked the story about Keenan and Donia as well. And people who haven't read the other stories already will really enjoy reading more about Niall and Irial, and the short one about Rabbit.
Fans of the Wicked Lovely series will like this book. There really isn't much to recommend for people who aren't familiar with the series. I didn't think the independent stories were special enough on their own to invest in the book. One or two were fine, but again, I'd read one before, and regardless, they weren't anything I'm going to remember. And most of the longer stories presume familiarity with the characters and history of the series and won't make much sense to new readers. Frequently short stories set in the same world as a series are a good way for new readers to get intrigued about an author's work, but in this case I'd recommend that curious readers try Wicked Lovely, the first book in the series. It's really a unique book in the way it captures a sense of the fairy magic. And youth. It wasn't a perfect book, and it made me feel really old, but it was special somehow.
Fans of the Wicked Lovely series will like this book. There really isn't much to recommend for people who aren't familiar with the series. I didn't think the independent stories were special enough on their own to invest in the book. One or two were fine, but again, I'd read one before, and regardless, they weren't anything I'm going to remember. And most of the longer stories presume familiarity with the characters and history of the series and won't make much sense to new readers. Frequently short stories set in the same world as a series are a good way for new readers to get intrigued about an author's work, but in this case I'd recommend that curious readers try Wicked Lovely, the first book in the series. It's really a unique book in the way it captures a sense of the fairy magic. And youth. It wasn't a perfect book, and it made me feel really old, but it was special somehow.
February 28, 2012
Once again, I have to point out that I don't feel confident providing reviews for short stories. I'm too used to novels, and the complaints I have about short stories personally feel more like whining than valid points. But I can say much about this compilation:
First off, I love Melissa Marr. I have since I read "Wicked Lovely" several years back, and while that series started to get a little convoluted with characters and their relationships among one another, her fairies have their very own gritty appeal, similar to those of Holly Black's.
But I have to say, this compilation of short stories... confused me. I have mixed feeling about each of them individually, but as a whole, I'm still not sure what to make of them. The stand-alones that mimicked folk tales didn't seem to have any resolutions; they felt like chapters out of a book that I'll never get to read. Maybe that was the author's intent, to just leave them hanging, but it kind of bothered me.
The short stories that served as companions to the Wicked Lovely series also perplexed me a little, since they all occurred after each specific book in the serious as bridge-stories. For he ones thqat bridged the more recent books, I found them easy enough to follow, but those from the earlier books... I had to remember what was going on, before certain events that occurred in later books, which was difficult since it's been years since I read the first few books in the series. And, honestly, most of what they contained felt like pure filler- much ado about nothing. Again, though, maybe that was the author's intent.
I can't say I'm sorry I read this book- it was entertaining, and filled in the blanks of the Wicked Lovely series. But I have to say I was constantly thrown off by the time lapses, garnished with stand-alone short stories in between. Maybe the organization of the stories would've made a difference?
First off, I love Melissa Marr. I have since I read "Wicked Lovely" several years back, and while that series started to get a little convoluted with characters and their relationships among one another, her fairies have their very own gritty appeal, similar to those of Holly Black's.
But I have to say, this compilation of short stories... confused me. I have mixed feeling about each of them individually, but as a whole, I'm still not sure what to make of them. The stand-alones that mimicked folk tales didn't seem to have any resolutions; they felt like chapters out of a book that I'll never get to read. Maybe that was the author's intent, to just leave them hanging, but it kind of bothered me.
The short stories that served as companions to the Wicked Lovely series also perplexed me a little, since they all occurred after each specific book in the serious as bridge-stories. For he ones thqat bridged the more recent books, I found them easy enough to follow, but those from the earlier books... I had to remember what was going on, before certain events that occurred in later books, which was difficult since it's been years since I read the first few books in the series. And, honestly, most of what they contained felt like pure filler- much ado about nothing. Again, though, maybe that was the author's intent.
I can't say I'm sorry I read this book- it was entertaining, and filled in the blanks of the Wicked Lovely series. But I have to say I was constantly thrown off by the time lapses, garnished with stand-alone short stories in between. Maybe the organization of the stories would've made a difference?
September 12, 2012
Spoilers
A collection of short stories, some set in the Wicked Lovely world and others just stand alone contributions.
Where Nightmare's Walk: A very short and pointless story, only a few paragraphs long.
Winter's Kiss: A story about a girl with ice/wintery powers leaving her summery home and meeting an ice bear/boy and searching for a home where she fits in better. This was one of the better stand alone stories, it was predictable but it was still enjoyable. The romance was subtle but sweet.
Transition: A story about a girl called Eliana who's turned into a vampire so she can kill someone. This definitely wasn't a faery tale, it was one of the Nightmare stories — though it wasn't scary, it just had a darker tone. I liked that Eliana didn't forgive Sebastian or go weak at knees for him after what he did — he set her up to murdered and turned into a vampire just so she could kill his girlfriend. The ending was good and there's no doubt in my mind that Eliana will get her revenge on Sebastian but I'm fairly certain that she'll end up dead too when the vampire she makes will turn on her.
Love Struck: Manslut selkie + virginal girl + insta-love + silly misunderstanding + cringey HEA = blah
Old Habits: From the Wicked Lovely series. Focusing on Niall first few weeks as the new Dark king and also Irial and Niall's strained relationship. The plot was all over the place and there were too may POV's for so short a story, it didn't really offer anything new — just the same old ridiculous faery court politics. Irial and Niall were also quite boring — just the same old typical tortured mansluts.
Stopping Time: Leslie, Niall and Irial's story. Leslie's probably the most likeable character in the Wicked Lovely series, her POV is always enjoyable because she's easy to relate to. The threesome between Leslie/Irial/Niall just seems a little unbalanced since Irial and Niall are both immortal and have such a long history with each other. Leslie on the other hand hasn't know Niall/Irial all that long and she's mortal so she just feels like a fleeting love they both share - I don't think Leslie fits into their relationship very well.
The Art of Waiting: Didn't like it, both the plot and characters were rubbish.
Flesh For Comfort: Fairly interesting concept about what someone is willing to do to be beautiful but too short a story to care about any of the characters.
The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King: Similar to the Wicked Lovely series - Aisling reminded me a little of Donia, only not as whiny and bitter. I liked Aisling more than Donia or Aislinn since she didn't lose all her senses for love.
Merely Mortal: Keenan and Donia's story. I've never liked their relationship - I don't know why Donia would take him back after he fell in love with dozens of other girls, she could do much better. I hate that after everything he put her through he still got his HEA.
Overall, the writing didn't flow very well in any of the stories and things weren't as clear in several of the stories as they could have been. I enjoyed a few of the stories but most of them were disappointing.
A collection of short stories, some set in the Wicked Lovely world and others just stand alone contributions.
Where Nightmare's Walk: A very short and pointless story, only a few paragraphs long.
Winter's Kiss: A story about a girl with ice/wintery powers leaving her summery home and meeting an ice bear/boy and searching for a home where she fits in better. This was one of the better stand alone stories, it was predictable but it was still enjoyable. The romance was subtle but sweet.
Transition: A story about a girl called Eliana who's turned into a vampire so she can kill someone. This definitely wasn't a faery tale, it was one of the Nightmare stories — though it wasn't scary, it just had a darker tone. I liked that Eliana didn't forgive Sebastian or go weak at knees for him after what he did — he set her up to murdered and turned into a vampire just so she could kill his girlfriend. The ending was good and there's no doubt in my mind that Eliana will get her revenge on Sebastian but I'm fairly certain that she'll end up dead too when the vampire she makes will turn on her.
Love Struck: Manslut selkie + virginal girl + insta-love + silly misunderstanding + cringey HEA = blah
Old Habits: From the Wicked Lovely series. Focusing on Niall first few weeks as the new Dark king and also Irial and Niall's strained relationship. The plot was all over the place and there were too may POV's for so short a story, it didn't really offer anything new — just the same old ridiculous faery court politics. Irial and Niall were also quite boring — just the same old typical tortured mansluts.
Stopping Time: Leslie, Niall and Irial's story. Leslie's probably the most likeable character in the Wicked Lovely series, her POV is always enjoyable because she's easy to relate to. The threesome between Leslie/Irial/Niall just seems a little unbalanced since Irial and Niall are both immortal and have such a long history with each other. Leslie on the other hand hasn't know Niall/Irial all that long and she's mortal so she just feels like a fleeting love they both share - I don't think Leslie fits into their relationship very well.
The Art of Waiting: Didn't like it, both the plot and characters were rubbish.
Flesh For Comfort: Fairly interesting concept about what someone is willing to do to be beautiful but too short a story to care about any of the characters.
The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King: Similar to the Wicked Lovely series - Aisling reminded me a little of Donia, only not as whiny and bitter. I liked Aisling more than Donia or Aislinn since she didn't lose all her senses for love.
Merely Mortal: Keenan and Donia's story. I've never liked their relationship - I don't know why Donia would take him back after he fell in love with dozens of other girls, she could do much better. I hate that after everything he put her through he still got his HEA.
Overall, the writing didn't flow very well in any of the stories and things weren't as clear in several of the stories as they could have been. I enjoyed a few of the stories but most of them were disappointing.
September 5, 2013
For Dusty Bookshelf Challenge 2013:
Has been on my to-read list since February 2012
minor spoilers if you haven't read the Wicked Lovely series
So why did I pick this one up if I wasn't a fan of the Wicked Lovely series? Well, because I WISH I'd loved the Wicked Lovely series, because nothing makes me happier than series that are very long and allow me to keep hanging out in their world. That, and I already had it preordered before I read (and couldn't stand) Ink Exchange. But I remain eternally hopeful that the author will win me over.
This book would have gotten four stars from me. Unfortunately, it contained Old Habits and Stopping Time, which I read in ebook form right after Ink Exchange (I like to be chronological) and really disliked. As in, even more than I disliked Ink Exchange. Both these short stories get 2 stars from me. I know that's harsh, but I just can't stand the characters. Three-way relationships are disturbing, even if all three participants are terrible people who all deserve each other. In these two short stories, we get to learn how little Leslie actually cares about anyone or anything, all while insisting that she doesn't want to be corrupted by the Dark Court. We get to see how deceitful and evil Irial is and what a jerk Niall has turned into. However, I'm glad I read them chronologically because there was some actual important plot stuff going on that set things up well for Fragile Eternity.
Aside from those stories, which I didn't read when I read the rest of the book, since I'd already read them, I actually really enjoyed the book. I'll give individual ratings for each story. Makes the most sense to me.
Where Nightmares Walk 4 STARS - Very short story that sets a mood and paints an image effectively. I liked the fact that the protagonist was using crutches.
Winter's Kiss 5 STARS - This story was excellent! Whimsical, enchanting, romantic. Marr does the pure-fairy-tale style beautifully! A princess contains the kiss of winter, and so, instead of locking herself up all summer to protect her people's livelihoods, she travels to the icy north, in the company of a frost bear.
Transition 3 STARS - I didn't personally like this one, but it wasn't bad. I love vampires, but the tone of the story felt depressing rather than dark, and I hated that the most decent character was written off then killed. The writing itself was done well, with some nice images, but I didn't like the characters and the plot and tone just weren't enjoyable to me.
Love Struck 5 STARS - I loved this one! I could read an entire book of this plotline! First off, I just love selkies, but this story featured fey creatures who weren't bad people who used mortals like playthings. Murrin is a selkie who wishes to find a human bride, but he's actually a decent fey, so he doesn't want to trick her. His brother has no trouble tricking her, however, and soon the girl Alana finds herself bound to Murrin. She starts to fall for him, but wonders if it's real or just magic. I could really feel for the characters and care about them. I wish Marr didn't have to throw sexual reference into EVERYTHING though, or would write a male character who isn't a manslut. They're ALL mansluts, either current or reformed (like Seth), which is what Murrin is. I guess because he's male and fey, he's required to have been with tons of women, but he didn't find it fulfilling, so he sought out a wife. Why did it have to take him so many women to come to this conclusion? I just hate the casual promiscuity. I'm not a prude, and I don't have a problem with sex in YA, but I DO have a problem with casual promiscuity. The story was good enough overall however that I was able to enjoy it anyway.
The Art of Waiting 4 STARS - Okay, here is a story that is "dark", but in a reasonable way, always like black humor. It also had a fairy-tale vibe to it and was an enjoyable read. A man and his daughter settle in a mountain town that is cut off from the world all winter long, and they are content, until stranger arrives.
Flesh For Comfort 4 STARS - I rolled my eyes at the title, expecting more casual sex, but was pleasantly surprised. A young girl seeks escape from her life via beauty, and beauty via monsters and pain. I also think it says something that I myself, and doubtless other women, would gladly accept such a deal. I liked the issues raised here, and it was kind of a nice fantasy to imagine. Great read.
The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King 4 STARS - This is the short story that evolved into Wicked Lovely. It's cool to see the similarities and differences. Enjoyable.
Cotton Candy Skies 5 STARS - Loved this! Set in Faerie, starring Rabbit, and featuring Devlin and Ani, whose story was my favorite out of the Wicked Lovely series. I actually had tears in my eyes at the end of this one. Beautiful.
Unexpected Family 4 STARS - Seth receives a distress call from his mortal parents, so after saying goodbye to Ash, he and Niall find a steed and drive it to California. It was nice seeing Seth repair his relationship with Niall (I don't like Niall, but I hold out hope for him), and come into his own with his new status is faerie politics.
Merely Mortal 5 STARS - Those last scenes in Darkest Mercy with Keenan and Donia pretty much redeemed the series for me. I cried at that too. It was wonderful getting to see them together in this one, trying to be normal and failing utterly. Keenan was an idiot for 98% of the series, but he redeemed himself, and Donia is a wonderful character. They deserved a sweet little story like this.
Has been on my to-read list since February 2012
minor spoilers if you haven't read the Wicked Lovely series
So why did I pick this one up if I wasn't a fan of the Wicked Lovely series? Well, because I WISH I'd loved the Wicked Lovely series, because nothing makes me happier than series that are very long and allow me to keep hanging out in their world. That, and I already had it preordered before I read (and couldn't stand) Ink Exchange. But I remain eternally hopeful that the author will win me over.
This book would have gotten four stars from me. Unfortunately, it contained Old Habits and Stopping Time, which I read in ebook form right after Ink Exchange (I like to be chronological) and really disliked. As in, even more than I disliked Ink Exchange. Both these short stories get 2 stars from me. I know that's harsh, but I just can't stand the characters. Three-way relationships are disturbing, even if all three participants are terrible people who all deserve each other. In these two short stories, we get to learn how little Leslie actually cares about anyone or anything, all while insisting that she doesn't want to be corrupted by the Dark Court. We get to see how deceitful and evil Irial is and what a jerk Niall has turned into. However, I'm glad I read them chronologically because there was some actual important plot stuff going on that set things up well for Fragile Eternity.
Aside from those stories, which I didn't read when I read the rest of the book, since I'd already read them, I actually really enjoyed the book. I'll give individual ratings for each story. Makes the most sense to me.
Where Nightmares Walk 4 STARS - Very short story that sets a mood and paints an image effectively. I liked the fact that the protagonist was using crutches.
Winter's Kiss 5 STARS - This story was excellent! Whimsical, enchanting, romantic. Marr does the pure-fairy-tale style beautifully! A princess contains the kiss of winter, and so, instead of locking herself up all summer to protect her people's livelihoods, she travels to the icy north, in the company of a frost bear.
Transition 3 STARS - I didn't personally like this one, but it wasn't bad. I love vampires, but the tone of the story felt depressing rather than dark, and I hated that the most decent character was written off then killed. The writing itself was done well, with some nice images, but I didn't like the characters and the plot and tone just weren't enjoyable to me.
Love Struck 5 STARS - I loved this one! I could read an entire book of this plotline! First off, I just love selkies, but this story featured fey creatures who weren't bad people who used mortals like playthings. Murrin is a selkie who wishes to find a human bride, but he's actually a decent fey, so he doesn't want to trick her. His brother has no trouble tricking her, however, and soon the girl Alana finds herself bound to Murrin. She starts to fall for him, but wonders if it's real or just magic. I could really feel for the characters and care about them. I wish Marr didn't have to throw sexual reference into EVERYTHING though, or would write a male character who isn't a manslut. They're ALL mansluts, either current or reformed (like Seth), which is what Murrin is. I guess because he's male and fey, he's required to have been with tons of women, but he didn't find it fulfilling, so he sought out a wife. Why did it have to take him so many women to come to this conclusion? I just hate the casual promiscuity. I'm not a prude, and I don't have a problem with sex in YA, but I DO have a problem with casual promiscuity. The story was good enough overall however that I was able to enjoy it anyway.
The Art of Waiting 4 STARS - Okay, here is a story that is "dark", but in a reasonable way, always like black humor. It also had a fairy-tale vibe to it and was an enjoyable read. A man and his daughter settle in a mountain town that is cut off from the world all winter long, and they are content, until stranger arrives.
Flesh For Comfort 4 STARS - I rolled my eyes at the title, expecting more casual sex, but was pleasantly surprised. A young girl seeks escape from her life via beauty, and beauty via monsters and pain. I also think it says something that I myself, and doubtless other women, would gladly accept such a deal. I liked the issues raised here, and it was kind of a nice fantasy to imagine. Great read.
The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King 4 STARS - This is the short story that evolved into Wicked Lovely. It's cool to see the similarities and differences. Enjoyable.
Cotton Candy Skies 5 STARS - Loved this! Set in Faerie, starring Rabbit, and featuring Devlin and Ani, whose story was my favorite out of the Wicked Lovely series. I actually had tears in my eyes at the end of this one. Beautiful.
Unexpected Family 4 STARS - Seth receives a distress call from his mortal parents, so after saying goodbye to Ash, he and Niall find a steed and drive it to California. It was nice seeing Seth repair his relationship with Niall (I don't like Niall, but I hold out hope for him), and come into his own with his new status is faerie politics.
Merely Mortal 5 STARS - Those last scenes in Darkest Mercy with Keenan and Donia pretty much redeemed the series for me. I cried at that too. It was wonderful getting to see them together in this one, trying to be normal and failing utterly. Keenan was an idiot for 98% of the series, but he redeemed himself, and Donia is a wonderful character. They deserved a sweet little story like this.
April 21, 2017
I got this audiobook from the library because frankly, the cover was cool and it looked kind of
spooky. I thought it was a series of shorts (which it is, kind of) but they all comingle with one another. I liked the first 3 parts of the story, I skipped 4-like 8 because it was long and uninteresting and then when I listened to the end, I realized they all coincided but I didn't feel compelled to go back and listen to try and see what was going on as I usually am when I feel like I'm missing something. To me, I didn't know if the kids were in high school, college or what and they were uninspiring to say the least, in my opinion. I wish I liked it more because that pic is so beautiful, but I just couldn't so I am not going to force myself. I guess the reader could say its like a soap opera with all of the stories "kind of" tying together, but it could be read as standalones.
spooky. I thought it was a series of shorts (which it is, kind of) but they all comingle with one another. I liked the first 3 parts of the story, I skipped 4-like 8 because it was long and uninteresting and then when I listened to the end, I realized they all coincided but I didn't feel compelled to go back and listen to try and see what was going on as I usually am when I feel like I'm missing something. To me, I didn't know if the kids were in high school, college or what and they were uninspiring to say the least, in my opinion. I wish I liked it more because that pic is so beautiful, but I just couldn't so I am not going to force myself. I guess the reader could say its like a soap opera with all of the stories "kind of" tying together, but it could be read as standalones.
July 21, 2018
I actually would give this two and a half stars. The writing was slow and boring. The author had to much to tell and didn’t tell it well. She skipped around to the Faerie Courts and it was Jared to follow.
Some felt too long with filler information and no real directions. Others felt like they had potential but never went with it. This was one where the author had a world in mind but didn’t let the reader know or understand the world.
Some felt too long with filler information and no real directions. Others felt like they had potential but never went with it. This was one where the author had a world in mind but didn’t let the reader know or understand the world.
January 14, 2019
Most of the short stories in this book was great and I truly enjoyed them. Some added some interesting views into the lives of beloved Wicked Lovely characters that just connected and tied all the books in The Wicked Lovely series together very nicely.
There were a few stories that were too short for me to get into and a few stories that confused the hell out of me.
Overall I would give this book between 3.5 and 4 stars.
There were a few stories that were too short for me to get into and a few stories that confused the hell out of me.
Overall I would give this book between 3.5 and 4 stars.
May 20, 2018
A collection of short stories involving the fae.
I enjoyed the tale of the selchie the most. The story, the characters, the world… “Love Struck” is a story well worth re-reading.
“Flesh for Comfort” was a fun and dark tale on what a young woman would do to lose weight…
The stories that play off in the Wicked Lovely world were enjoyable – but I think you should’ve read the series to get the most out of it.
Definitely worth reading over a week with your morning coffee.
I enjoyed the tale of the selchie the most. The story, the characters, the world… “Love Struck” is a story well worth re-reading.
“Flesh for Comfort” was a fun and dark tale on what a young woman would do to lose weight…
The stories that play off in the Wicked Lovely world were enjoyable – but I think you should’ve read the series to get the most out of it.
Definitely worth reading over a week with your morning coffee.
May 8, 2020
This was okay, some stories were better than others. I still found 'Old Habits' a bit of a chore, even though it's the second time I've read it this year, and I didn't really see the point of the first story at all, seeing as how it was less than a page long and didn't really make me feel anything.
May 12, 2022
Fantastic collection of short stories from the wicked lovley series. As well as a couple extra thrown in for fun.
April 1, 2013
Review Posted on Reading Lark 1/21/12: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2012/...
Short story anthologies aren't always my thing, but this one I loved. I have been so bummed since finishing the last Wicked Lovely book. I hated the thought of not getting to spend any more time with Seth, Devlin, and Ani. I was pleasantly surprised to see that all of my favorite Wicked Lovely characters make appearances in this one. In addition to spending time in a world I already know and love, I was also able to experience some new tales from the mind of the talented Melissa Marr. These new tales feature selchies, vampires, ice bears, flesh eating goblins, and more. This anthology has a little bit of everything!
Faery Tales & Nightmares is full of what I have come to expect from Marr's writing - its dark, beautifully written, and full of vivid descriptions. I know that other reviewers have rated this book a little lower because of the Wicked Lovely stories. However, I think you could read the ones in this book and enjoy them even if you have never read the series. Sure, someone like me who has read the entire series and loved the books will have a deeper connection to the stories relating to those characters, but at the heart of the matter is the fact that they are entertaining stories regardless of the amount of prior knowledge one brings to the table.
I loved the variety of the stories in the collection. There is a nice balance of Wicked Lovely material and stand alones. I had previously read the selchie story, "Love Struck", in another anthology, but I was happy to see it included in this one. It is one of my favorite selchie stories. My other favorites in the stand alones were "Winter's Kiss" and "Transition". "Winter's Kiss" is the story of a princess who is cursed with the breath of winter. She leaves her kingdom in order to spare them from her curse during the warm months, but along the way she meets a strange and interesting creature who will become her traveling companion. "Transition" is the vampire short story; I really liked seeing Marr's spin on the vampire mythology. Its really hard to put a fresh twist on vampires right now, but Marr managed to write something that left me craving a longer work. I hope that perhaps one day all of these little tidbit will turn into larger works.
Finally, I loved all of the Wicked Lovely stories that were included. My favorite was "Cotton Candy Skies". This is mainly because Devlin and Ani were my favorite couple in the series. I know that may sound odd to those who have read all the books considering that Devlin and Ani aren't major characters in most of the series, but there was just something about them that I loved. I wish that we had seen more of them both in the larger series. I also really liked this tale because we get to see more of Rabbit and learn more about his life after Darkest Mercy.
It was also very cool to read "The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King". This is the short story that started it all! This story is what provided the inspiration for the Wicked Lovely series.
Faery Tales & Nightmares will appeal to Wicked Lovely fans and those looking for some creative paranormal tales. This is crucial to the collection of anyone who is fan of Melissa Marr's writing.
One Last Gripe: There were a few stories that didn't appeal to me much. I wasn't a huge fan of "Where Nightmares Walk" or "The Art of Waiting".
My Favorite Things About This Book: The variety of topics & getting to spend more time with the Wicked Lovely fey
First Sentence: The green glow of eyes and sulfurous breath shimmer in the fog as the Nightmares come into range.
Short story anthologies aren't always my thing, but this one I loved. I have been so bummed since finishing the last Wicked Lovely book. I hated the thought of not getting to spend any more time with Seth, Devlin, and Ani. I was pleasantly surprised to see that all of my favorite Wicked Lovely characters make appearances in this one. In addition to spending time in a world I already know and love, I was also able to experience some new tales from the mind of the talented Melissa Marr. These new tales feature selchies, vampires, ice bears, flesh eating goblins, and more. This anthology has a little bit of everything!
Faery Tales & Nightmares is full of what I have come to expect from Marr's writing - its dark, beautifully written, and full of vivid descriptions. I know that other reviewers have rated this book a little lower because of the Wicked Lovely stories. However, I think you could read the ones in this book and enjoy them even if you have never read the series. Sure, someone like me who has read the entire series and loved the books will have a deeper connection to the stories relating to those characters, but at the heart of the matter is the fact that they are entertaining stories regardless of the amount of prior knowledge one brings to the table.
I loved the variety of the stories in the collection. There is a nice balance of Wicked Lovely material and stand alones. I had previously read the selchie story, "Love Struck", in another anthology, but I was happy to see it included in this one. It is one of my favorite selchie stories. My other favorites in the stand alones were "Winter's Kiss" and "Transition". "Winter's Kiss" is the story of a princess who is cursed with the breath of winter. She leaves her kingdom in order to spare them from her curse during the warm months, but along the way she meets a strange and interesting creature who will become her traveling companion. "Transition" is the vampire short story; I really liked seeing Marr's spin on the vampire mythology. Its really hard to put a fresh twist on vampires right now, but Marr managed to write something that left me craving a longer work. I hope that perhaps one day all of these little tidbit will turn into larger works.
Finally, I loved all of the Wicked Lovely stories that were included. My favorite was "Cotton Candy Skies". This is mainly because Devlin and Ani were my favorite couple in the series. I know that may sound odd to those who have read all the books considering that Devlin and Ani aren't major characters in most of the series, but there was just something about them that I loved. I wish that we had seen more of them both in the larger series. I also really liked this tale because we get to see more of Rabbit and learn more about his life after Darkest Mercy.
It was also very cool to read "The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King". This is the short story that started it all! This story is what provided the inspiration for the Wicked Lovely series.
Faery Tales & Nightmares will appeal to Wicked Lovely fans and those looking for some creative paranormal tales. This is crucial to the collection of anyone who is fan of Melissa Marr's writing.
One Last Gripe: There were a few stories that didn't appeal to me much. I wasn't a huge fan of "Where Nightmares Walk" or "The Art of Waiting".
My Favorite Things About This Book: The variety of topics & getting to spend more time with the Wicked Lovely fey
First Sentence: The green glow of eyes and sulfurous breath shimmer in the fog as the Nightmares come into range.
March 6, 2012
Melissa Marr's Faery Tales and Nightmares was quite the read! Filled with short stories I decided to break the review into short segments about each tale.
WHERE NIGHTMARES WALK
This one was a little odd, it was only 2 pages long. Yet the little bit of story we had was interesting. A character is running for their life. And there's a sense of danger, but not much else in known.
Rating 3/5 stars
TRANSITION
A nice little vampire story! These vampires have a different set of rules and one vampire will go to any lengths to be able to break them. It was a little confusing at times, it felt like there was some unknown, unsaid event that is only briefly mentioned that pertains to the story. But still it was pretty darn good! The ending was killer!
Rating 4/5 stars
LOVE STRUCK
I really liked this one! It was about selkies--selchies--and it had a nice look into the mythology. Or at least Melissa's twist on it! It was great! A nice little story about love blossoming and all that!
Rating 5/5 stars
OLD HABITS
This was in the Wicked Lovely world, taking place after Ink Exchange. I have to admit that this is one that confused me quite a bit. I just couldn't really follow what was happening. What was the story part and all. It mostly dealt with Irial and his needing to let go of his kingly ways since Niall is now in charge.
Rating 2.5/5 stars
STOPPING TIME
This also takes place after Ink Exchange, and I've read it in another anthology--can't remember which one. But it deals with Leslie and Niall and Irial. They have the strangest relationship, yet it seems to work. It's really beautifully written I think. Leslie seems to have developed an enemy who threatens to expose her Fae friends if she doesn't pay up.
Rating 4/5 stars
THE ART OF WAITING
Another odd, short little tale. I can't be entirely sure what was meant to be told in this story. A man and his daughter live in this village. And they and the people of the village, are very close knit. They never seem to leave the village, then one day a stranger comes to town...
Rating 3/5 stars
FLESH FOR COMFORT
Another very short tale. This was also bizarre. Basically we see how far a girl will go to be pretty.
Rating 3/5 stars
COTTON CANDY SKIES
Set in the Wicked Lovely world as well, possibly after Radiant Shadows. This one is about Rabbit and it was quite intriguing. Rabbit is trying to adjust to his new life, but it's hard. He can't seem to find happiness. Then he meets Olivia who asks him an odd question, "what's your name?" And he can't seem to get the answer right. It has a nice little ending too!
Rating 4/5 stars
UNEXPECTED FAMILY
This takes place after Darkest Mercy. Seth comes to Niall and asks him for a favor. Seth has been summoned by his human parents. They need his help. Not knowing what he's about to get into, Seth asks for Niall to accompany him. They are not totally prepared for what they are about to encounter...and gain.
Rating 3.5/5 stars
MERELY MORTAL
This also takes place after Darkest Mercy, and I, again, read this before in another anthology. Donia and Keenan go on vacation. To get away from it all. Keenan longs to take the test so he can be Fae again and be with Donia forever, yet she's hesitant, because she knows what the test can do to a person having taken it herself. The trip is meant for them to just be together and relax. Although they encounter a problem, humans and exposure.
Rating 4/5 stars
Overall rating 4/5 stars
WHERE NIGHTMARES WALK
This one was a little odd, it was only 2 pages long. Yet the little bit of story we had was interesting. A character is running for their life. And there's a sense of danger, but not much else in known.
Rating 3/5 stars
TRANSITION
A nice little vampire story! These vampires have a different set of rules and one vampire will go to any lengths to be able to break them. It was a little confusing at times, it felt like there was some unknown, unsaid event that is only briefly mentioned that pertains to the story. But still it was pretty darn good! The ending was killer!
Rating 4/5 stars
LOVE STRUCK
I really liked this one! It was about selkies--selchies--and it had a nice look into the mythology. Or at least Melissa's twist on it! It was great! A nice little story about love blossoming and all that!
Rating 5/5 stars
OLD HABITS
This was in the Wicked Lovely world, taking place after Ink Exchange. I have to admit that this is one that confused me quite a bit. I just couldn't really follow what was happening. What was the story part and all. It mostly dealt with Irial and his needing to let go of his kingly ways since Niall is now in charge.
Rating 2.5/5 stars
STOPPING TIME
This also takes place after Ink Exchange, and I've read it in another anthology--can't remember which one. But it deals with Leslie and Niall and Irial. They have the strangest relationship, yet it seems to work. It's really beautifully written I think. Leslie seems to have developed an enemy who threatens to expose her Fae friends if she doesn't pay up.
Rating 4/5 stars
THE ART OF WAITING
Another odd, short little tale. I can't be entirely sure what was meant to be told in this story. A man and his daughter live in this village. And they and the people of the village, are very close knit. They never seem to leave the village, then one day a stranger comes to town...
Rating 3/5 stars
FLESH FOR COMFORT
Another very short tale. This was also bizarre. Basically we see how far a girl will go to be pretty.
Rating 3/5 stars
COTTON CANDY SKIES
Set in the Wicked Lovely world as well, possibly after Radiant Shadows. This one is about Rabbit and it was quite intriguing. Rabbit is trying to adjust to his new life, but it's hard. He can't seem to find happiness. Then he meets Olivia who asks him an odd question, "what's your name?" And he can't seem to get the answer right. It has a nice little ending too!
Rating 4/5 stars
UNEXPECTED FAMILY
This takes place after Darkest Mercy. Seth comes to Niall and asks him for a favor. Seth has been summoned by his human parents. They need his help. Not knowing what he's about to get into, Seth asks for Niall to accompany him. They are not totally prepared for what they are about to encounter...and gain.
Rating 3.5/5 stars
MERELY MORTAL
This also takes place after Darkest Mercy, and I, again, read this before in another anthology. Donia and Keenan go on vacation. To get away from it all. Keenan longs to take the test so he can be Fae again and be with Donia forever, yet she's hesitant, because she knows what the test can do to a person having taken it herself. The trip is meant for them to just be together and relax. Although they encounter a problem, humans and exposure.
Rating 4/5 stars
Overall rating 4/5 stars
June 14, 2015
"Everything I could want in eternity is possible because of you"
I think that if nothing else...this book made me sooo very much want to curl up with the Wicked Lovely series once again :D It's one of my all time favourites. I enjoyed this book and most of the stories in it. The introduction was actually interesting and just knowing there would be additional stories from the Wicked Lovely universe was enthralling! Melissa has created two of the most compelling male characters ever written. And their relationship with one another is wickedly delicious. She was kind enough to 'treat' us to yet another installment of my beloved boys...
In the order from the book...
"Where Nightmares Walk" - this was extremely short and not particularly interesting.
"Winter's Kiss" - was pretty much adorable. "And so long into the night they sat and talked, the girl who carried winter's kiss and the boy who was a bear." Soooo cute.
"Transition" - While slightly confusing, I warmed up to this story quickly and found it kind of sad.
"Love Struck" - One of my favourite new stories in this book. Pretty much the sweetest lil tale. And Murrin...how lovely is he. "Just us," she said. 'And that was the best sort of magic.'
"Old Habits" - Since I had already read this in the e-book version it wasn't anything new, but as always reading about Irial and Niall...does it get any better??
"Stopping Time" - This was always my favourite short story...I have this in the e-book format as well, but I had to re-read it (of course) just to enjoy the beautifully crafted triangle of Irial, Niall and Leslie!
"The Art of Waiting" - I didn't care for this much at all :(
"Flesh For Comfort' - Slightly creepy but uniquely entertaining...
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" - I can see how Marr developed her series from this short. Not bad, but I prefer the direction she took with the series.
"Cotton Candy Skies" - I loved this one. "We are much more than merely together. You" - he felt her pulse speed under his fingers - "are the faery who gives me strength, who gives me reason to wake in the mornings, who infuriates me, who enrages me, who enthralls me." ~ Devlin to Ani
"Unexpected Family" - OMG...if you LOVE and I mean LOVE Iri and Niall and Seth the way I DO...then you MUST MUST MUST read this short. It's awesome, amazing...and very delicious! I seriously could quote half of this story right here...but that would just be silly. Ahhh how I miss Irial :( This was DEFINITELY my favourite story in the book! LOVED IT!!!! And did I mention the kissing? Oh the kissing♥ "Voyeur" - Irial to Seth. "You're afraid that he'll get surly over that scar on his face, but" - Irial reached up and traced the scar on Niall's face - "most sensible faeries find scars appealing."
"Merely Mortal" - "Let us have forever." ~ Keenan to Donia. Well this was another lovely treat and a nice way to end the book. I enjoyed this story quite a bit. Thank you Marr for giving us a bit more of the characters we cherish!
I think that if nothing else...this book made me sooo very much want to curl up with the Wicked Lovely series once again :D It's one of my all time favourites. I enjoyed this book and most of the stories in it. The introduction was actually interesting and just knowing there would be additional stories from the Wicked Lovely universe was enthralling! Melissa has created two of the most compelling male characters ever written. And their relationship with one another is wickedly delicious. She was kind enough to 'treat' us to yet another installment of my beloved boys...
In the order from the book...
"Where Nightmares Walk" - this was extremely short and not particularly interesting.
"Winter's Kiss" - was pretty much adorable. "And so long into the night they sat and talked, the girl who carried winter's kiss and the boy who was a bear." Soooo cute.
"Transition" - While slightly confusing, I warmed up to this story quickly and found it kind of sad.
"Love Struck" - One of my favourite new stories in this book. Pretty much the sweetest lil tale. And Murrin...how lovely is he. "Just us," she said. 'And that was the best sort of magic.'
"Old Habits" - Since I had already read this in the e-book version it wasn't anything new, but as always reading about Irial and Niall...does it get any better??
"Stopping Time" - This was always my favourite short story...I have this in the e-book format as well, but I had to re-read it (of course) just to enjoy the beautifully crafted triangle of Irial, Niall and Leslie!
"The Art of Waiting" - I didn't care for this much at all :(
"Flesh For Comfort' - Slightly creepy but uniquely entertaining...
"The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King" - I can see how Marr developed her series from this short. Not bad, but I prefer the direction she took with the series.
"Cotton Candy Skies" - I loved this one. "We are much more than merely together. You" - he felt her pulse speed under his fingers - "are the faery who gives me strength, who gives me reason to wake in the mornings, who infuriates me, who enrages me, who enthralls me." ~ Devlin to Ani
"Unexpected Family" - OMG...if you LOVE and I mean LOVE Iri and Niall and Seth the way I DO...then you MUST MUST MUST read this short. It's awesome, amazing...and very delicious! I seriously could quote half of this story right here...but that would just be silly. Ahhh how I miss Irial :( This was DEFINITELY my favourite story in the book! LOVED IT!!!! And did I mention the kissing? Oh the kissing♥ "Voyeur" - Irial to Seth. "You're afraid that he'll get surly over that scar on his face, but" - Irial reached up and traced the scar on Niall's face - "most sensible faeries find scars appealing."
"Merely Mortal" - "Let us have forever." ~ Keenan to Donia. Well this was another lovely treat and a nice way to end the book. I enjoyed this story quite a bit. Thank you Marr for giving us a bit more of the characters we cherish!
February 28, 2017
Honestly, I couldn't finish it. The stories were all to surreal, the characters bland, and really uninteresting. I didn't mind the first three stories, but even those were kind of hard to read. Just didn't care for it.
February 24, 2012
I'm a sucker for anything Melissa Marr does -- she's one of my few buy-on-sight authors. I enjoyed her Wicked Lovely series, and Graveminder was one of my favorite reads from last year. I've been itching to read this ever since I first heard of it, and with enough luck, I won a signed, personalized copy. Needless to say, I'm really happy this happened.
The content: The only two stories (out of 12) I wasn't fond of were "Where Nightmares Walk," which was more of a prologue than anything else, and "Flesh for Comfort," since something about it didn't ring quite right to me. However, I loved nearly all of the rest.
The Winter Kiss: A princess who can cause things to freeze with a breath leaves her kingdom to find a place where her peculiarity would be useful. Scandinavian-influenced.
Transition: Melissa Marr's take on vampires. Sensual and creepy. Reminded me of Graveminder a bit.
Love Struck: A story involving a girl and two selchie brothers. This was one of my favorites.
Old Habits: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe after Ink Exchange. Details the growing tensions between the Dark Court and High Court, and Niall's growing acceptance with his role as the Dark King.
Stopping Time: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe after Fragile Eternity. Revisits Leslie, her family ties, and her remaining threads with Irial and Niall.
The Art of Waiting: An annoying tourist visits a small town to whisk away a local girl. Results not as expected.
The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King: A girl must choose whether to become the new Winter Queen or stay with the Summer King. The prototype of the first Wicked Lovely book.
Cotton Candy Skies: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe, after either Radiant Shadows or Darkest Mercy. Rabbit befriends an artist.
Unexpected Family: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe, after Darkest Mercy. Seth gets a letter from his parents and goes to check on them. Niall accompanies him.
Merely Mortal: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe, after Darkest Mercy. Keenan and Donia attempt to take a vacation. Things don't quite go as planned. (This was actually hilarious, and I would love for Marr to write things with humor more.)
Overall, if you're a fan of the WL series (particularly the Dark Court), this is well worth your time and money. Her other stories also show great potential, and I'm looking forward to whatever she puts out next. :)
The content: The only two stories (out of 12) I wasn't fond of were "Where Nightmares Walk," which was more of a prologue than anything else, and "Flesh for Comfort," since something about it didn't ring quite right to me. However, I loved nearly all of the rest.
The Winter Kiss: A princess who can cause things to freeze with a breath leaves her kingdom to find a place where her peculiarity would be useful. Scandinavian-influenced.
Transition: Melissa Marr's take on vampires. Sensual and creepy. Reminded me of Graveminder a bit.
Love Struck: A story involving a girl and two selchie brothers. This was one of my favorites.
Old Habits: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe after Ink Exchange. Details the growing tensions between the Dark Court and High Court, and Niall's growing acceptance with his role as the Dark King.
Stopping Time: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe after Fragile Eternity. Revisits Leslie, her family ties, and her remaining threads with Irial and Niall.
The Art of Waiting: An annoying tourist visits a small town to whisk away a local girl. Results not as expected.
The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King: A girl must choose whether to become the new Winter Queen or stay with the Summer King. The prototype of the first Wicked Lovely book.
Cotton Candy Skies: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe, after either Radiant Shadows or Darkest Mercy. Rabbit befriends an artist.
Unexpected Family: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe, after Darkest Mercy. Seth gets a letter from his parents and goes to check on them. Niall accompanies him.
Merely Mortal: Set in the Wicked Lovely universe, after Darkest Mercy. Keenan and Donia attempt to take a vacation. Things don't quite go as planned. (This was actually hilarious, and I would love for Marr to write things with humor more.)
Overall, if you're a fan of the WL series (particularly the Dark Court), this is well worth your time and money. Her other stories also show great potential, and I'm looking forward to whatever she puts out next. :)
May 7, 2012
You already know I'm not one for anthologies and short stories but I wanted to give this one a go because all the stories are written by one author who also just happens to be on my favourite list of authors so I could hardly say no could I?
Not only did I enjoy it but it's actually the first anthology I've made it to the end of! I love Marr's beautiful writing and ate up the Wicked Lovely series as each book came out and this is a must for fans of that series.
If you haven't read Marr's previous works I'd recommend it before reading this book as half the stories are told from the world and characters of the Wicked lovely series and whilst they could be enjoyed without reading it you might feel like you're missing something and some are set after or quite late into the series which means massive spoilers if you're planning to read the series after.
Though I'd peviously bought Love struck, Stopping time and Old habits on my Kindle for some reason I hadn't got to reading them yet, even though two out of three include my ultimate book crush ever, Niall *sigh* So it's nice now to have the three together in one paperback.
There are a total of eleven stories ranging from three pages to ninety four in length and whilst I would admit I've read more exciting short stories I did enjoy them all, the amazing writing I loved from her previous series is present throughout and paints a wonderful picture with each story, short and long.
I don't have a clear favourite, though Stopping time is certainly a front runner as it involves Niall a lot!
The shorter stories, however, feel more like ideas for something bigger or simple daydreams but even so they are uniquely imaginative and leave me with curiosity for more.
And there are so many themes packed into this lovely bundle, I loved the darkness of Transistion, the whimsical feel of Flesh for comfort and of course revisting characters I already know in Old habits, stopping time, Cotton candy skies, unexpected family and Merely mortal.
Favourite quotes
'She imagined that his breath was warm because he'd drained the life out of someone, because he'd just come from taking the final drops of life out of some horrible person.' - From Transistion.
'And Irial smiled at her, as beautiful and deadly as he'd always been. King or not, he was still a force to fear.' - From Old habits
Not only did I enjoy it but it's actually the first anthology I've made it to the end of! I love Marr's beautiful writing and ate up the Wicked Lovely series as each book came out and this is a must for fans of that series.
If you haven't read Marr's previous works I'd recommend it before reading this book as half the stories are told from the world and characters of the Wicked lovely series and whilst they could be enjoyed without reading it you might feel like you're missing something and some are set after or quite late into the series which means massive spoilers if you're planning to read the series after.
Though I'd peviously bought Love struck, Stopping time and Old habits on my Kindle for some reason I hadn't got to reading them yet, even though two out of three include my ultimate book crush ever, Niall *sigh* So it's nice now to have the three together in one paperback.
There are a total of eleven stories ranging from three pages to ninety four in length and whilst I would admit I've read more exciting short stories I did enjoy them all, the amazing writing I loved from her previous series is present throughout and paints a wonderful picture with each story, short and long.
I don't have a clear favourite, though Stopping time is certainly a front runner as it involves Niall a lot!
The shorter stories, however, feel more like ideas for something bigger or simple daydreams but even so they are uniquely imaginative and leave me with curiosity for more.
And there are so many themes packed into this lovely bundle, I loved the darkness of Transistion, the whimsical feel of Flesh for comfort and of course revisting characters I already know in Old habits, stopping time, Cotton candy skies, unexpected family and Merely mortal.
Favourite quotes
'She imagined that his breath was warm because he'd drained the life out of someone, because he'd just come from taking the final drops of life out of some horrible person.' - From Transistion.
'And Irial smiled at her, as beautiful and deadly as he'd always been. King or not, he was still a force to fear.' - From Old habits
July 2, 2014
Melissa’s Marr’s writing is one of the main reasons I decided to read this book. I always love the way she builds the world in her books. So vivid, enchanting, and beautiful. Even though the story is too dark for my taste, her way of creating details in her story never fails to enchant me. There are twelve dark yet beautiful short stories in this book.
My favorite story in this book is Winter’s Kiss. The moment I read the story, I’m completely hooked up. It’s a story about a princess who has frost breath. When she laughs too freely, she will freeze her surroundings. She is lonely because no one enjoys her gift, and she decides to take a journey to find a place where her gift can be useful. Then she meets an ice-bear and they instantly become friend.
Winter’s Kiss is such a lovely story. It’s romantic and very fairytale-like. I really like ice-bear, they seem so cute, warm, and fluffy so it’s no question that this short story is my favorite. Other stories don’t captivate me as much as Winter’s Kiss, but there is one story that made me cringe in horror. Its title is Transition and it is a vampire story. The story is inspired by a party which Melissa Marr attended when she was in a dead-end town. This is really dark and full of gory details. While Winter’s Kiss is like the representation of fairytale in this book, for me Transition is what you’re going to call a nightmare. The story is absolutely awesome, but the darkness in the story is too much for me.
I think you’re going to enjoy this book even if you’re no fan of Wicked Lovely. Like I said before, Melissa Marr has a gift of telling stories. This is fairly recommended for fans of Wicked Lovely series, but I guess this book is really one for people who seek enchanting and eerie tales.
Well over half of these pages are taken up by Wicked Lovely world stories; the rest of the pages are reserved for other worlds. These are stories pulled from lore and nightmares, set in places I’ve visited and places I’ve imagined. I hope you enjoy them. –taken from the introduction page in the book–
Read other reviews in my blog! :)
Catch the Lune
My favorite story in this book is Winter’s Kiss. The moment I read the story, I’m completely hooked up. It’s a story about a princess who has frost breath. When she laughs too freely, she will freeze her surroundings. She is lonely because no one enjoys her gift, and she decides to take a journey to find a place where her gift can be useful. Then she meets an ice-bear and they instantly become friend.
Winter’s Kiss is such a lovely story. It’s romantic and very fairytale-like. I really like ice-bear, they seem so cute, warm, and fluffy so it’s no question that this short story is my favorite. Other stories don’t captivate me as much as Winter’s Kiss, but there is one story that made me cringe in horror. Its title is Transition and it is a vampire story. The story is inspired by a party which Melissa Marr attended when she was in a dead-end town. This is really dark and full of gory details. While Winter’s Kiss is like the representation of fairytale in this book, for me Transition is what you’re going to call a nightmare. The story is absolutely awesome, but the darkness in the story is too much for me.
I think you’re going to enjoy this book even if you’re no fan of Wicked Lovely. Like I said before, Melissa Marr has a gift of telling stories. This is fairly recommended for fans of Wicked Lovely series, but I guess this book is really one for people who seek enchanting and eerie tales.
Well over half of these pages are taken up by Wicked Lovely world stories; the rest of the pages are reserved for other worlds. These are stories pulled from lore and nightmares, set in places I’ve visited and places I’ve imagined. I hope you enjoy them. –taken from the introduction page in the book–
Read other reviews in my blog! :)
Catch the Lune
April 12, 2012
Originally reviewed here.
Full disclosure: I did not read the Wicked Lovely stories in this novel, I have never read the Wicked Lovely series so I didn't want to ruin anything for myself!
"Where Nightmares Walk," "Winter's Kiss" and "Transition" were all beautiful stories. I was especially interested in "Winter's Kiss" and found it to be truly fairy tale-esque with very sweet details. I thought Marr did a nice job with her vampire story, "Transition," vampires with attitude have a special place in my heart, especially snarky female ones!
The story "Love Struck" is where I fell in love with Marr's writing. Though I have been reading some mermaid books lately I was so interested in the way Marr twisted the traditional selchie tale into something different. I found myself wanting more and wishing that it was a full length novel and not just a short glimpse into the selchie world.
I also wanted more from "The Art of Waiting" and the messages of this and "Flesh for Comfort" were not lost on me. Both of these stories read like fairy tales but were also somewhat dark and twisted in a way that I really enjoyed.
Finally, "The Sleeping Girl and The Summer King" was the last story I read and I absolutely loved it. The descriptions of the winter world in contrast with the summer land were vibrant and gorgeous in my mind. This story has been described as a sort of sequel for Marr's Wicked Lovely series and I can assure you that after reading this short story I will definitley be picking up the series very soon.
The only book by Melissa Marr that I had read before this novel was Graveminder (which I loved) but it is not really a "fairy tale" and therefore I was wary that I was missing something by not reading her Wicked Lovely series. Reading this short story really made me understand how Marr weaves different elements into her story, she sets up a vibrant setting that really draws the reader in and makes you long for more.
Full disclosure: I did not read the Wicked Lovely stories in this novel, I have never read the Wicked Lovely series so I didn't want to ruin anything for myself!
"Where Nightmares Walk," "Winter's Kiss" and "Transition" were all beautiful stories. I was especially interested in "Winter's Kiss" and found it to be truly fairy tale-esque with very sweet details. I thought Marr did a nice job with her vampire story, "Transition," vampires with attitude have a special place in my heart, especially snarky female ones!
The story "Love Struck" is where I fell in love with Marr's writing. Though I have been reading some mermaid books lately I was so interested in the way Marr twisted the traditional selchie tale into something different. I found myself wanting more and wishing that it was a full length novel and not just a short glimpse into the selchie world.
I also wanted more from "The Art of Waiting" and the messages of this and "Flesh for Comfort" were not lost on me. Both of these stories read like fairy tales but were also somewhat dark and twisted in a way that I really enjoyed.
Finally, "The Sleeping Girl and The Summer King" was the last story I read and I absolutely loved it. The descriptions of the winter world in contrast with the summer land were vibrant and gorgeous in my mind. This story has been described as a sort of sequel for Marr's Wicked Lovely series and I can assure you that after reading this short story I will definitley be picking up the series very soon.
The only book by Melissa Marr that I had read before this novel was Graveminder (which I loved) but it is not really a "fairy tale" and therefore I was wary that I was missing something by not reading her Wicked Lovely series. Reading this short story really made me understand how Marr weaves different elements into her story, she sets up a vibrant setting that really draws the reader in and makes you long for more.
April 4, 2012
Review originally posted in: http://forget8me8not.blogspot.com.au/...
Cover:
Wicked Lovely series' covers are absolutely gorgeous and Faery Tales and Nightmares' cover is so pretty too! I love the girl's dress, how she is staring at the window and the dark background. It gives an eerie feeling to the book.
Story:
12 Enthralling Short Stories...
Okay, so I never reviewed a book full of short stories. I won't go reviewing each short story since it's going to be a long review so I'm going to review the book in general. Obviously the short stories I enjoyed most were the ones set in Wicked Lovely world with characters from Wicked Lovely. As usual, Marr's stories are beautifully written. I adored every one of them. Once again, I am sucked into the world of faeries, adoring the beauty of Faes, the summer world, the winter world and meeting the characters from Wicked Lovely series again. I loved how there were quite a few short stories involving Niall and Irial since they were one of my favourite characters in the book. Some of the short stories are set after Ink Exchange and some were set after Fragile Eternity. I love the last short story too : "Merely Mortal" which is about Keenan and Donia! There were also short stories with Seth and Aislinn, Devlin and Sorcha! I absolutely love how these short stories are all compiled into a book and how Marr's other short stories published in Teeth and Enthralled are in this book as well. I enjoy reading Transition too. It was a short story about vampires!
Overall:
Melissa Marr's writing never ceases to take readers into a world filled with faeries, vampires and other beautiful paranormal creatures. If you love Marr's Wicked Lovely series, then you should definitely read this book because it also contains numerous short stories set in the world of Wicked Lovely! Faery Tales and Nightmares will bring you once again a taste of Melissa Marr's beautiful, enthralling and gorgeous writing.
Thank you Harper Collins Australia for the review copy!
Cover:
Wicked Lovely series' covers are absolutely gorgeous and Faery Tales and Nightmares' cover is so pretty too! I love the girl's dress, how she is staring at the window and the dark background. It gives an eerie feeling to the book.
Story:
12 Enthralling Short Stories...
Okay, so I never reviewed a book full of short stories. I won't go reviewing each short story since it's going to be a long review so I'm going to review the book in general. Obviously the short stories I enjoyed most were the ones set in Wicked Lovely world with characters from Wicked Lovely. As usual, Marr's stories are beautifully written. I adored every one of them. Once again, I am sucked into the world of faeries, adoring the beauty of Faes, the summer world, the winter world and meeting the characters from Wicked Lovely series again. I loved how there were quite a few short stories involving Niall and Irial since they were one of my favourite characters in the book. Some of the short stories are set after Ink Exchange and some were set after Fragile Eternity. I love the last short story too : "Merely Mortal" which is about Keenan and Donia! There were also short stories with Seth and Aislinn, Devlin and Sorcha! I absolutely love how these short stories are all compiled into a book and how Marr's other short stories published in Teeth and Enthralled are in this book as well. I enjoy reading Transition too. It was a short story about vampires!
Overall:
Melissa Marr's writing never ceases to take readers into a world filled with faeries, vampires and other beautiful paranormal creatures. If you love Marr's Wicked Lovely series, then you should definitely read this book because it also contains numerous short stories set in the world of Wicked Lovely! Faery Tales and Nightmares will bring you once again a taste of Melissa Marr's beautiful, enthralling and gorgeous writing.
Thank you Harper Collins Australia for the review copy!
March 28, 2012
2.5 stars- This book is made up of short stories. Some are new characters and some are set in the Wicked Lovely world.
Characters from Wicked Lovely: Mostly all make an appearance, but most of the stories are about Niall, Irial and Leslie. Which happened to be my least favorite characters.
The stories that I found the best were the ones not set in the WL world. They had more substance to them. Have you ever read a great book that ended on a good note, then the author throws in an epilogue that ruined the whole ending? The epilogue is uninteresting, not needed, silly and just dragged out. Well, that's what all the WL short stories felt like. There was no substance to them. They were long drawn out epilogues that don't really matter. Donia and Keenan story is the worst. I hate to say it, but the word lame comes to mind.
Would I recommend? If your a die hard WL fan, sure. But if you're not, then skip this. You'll probably disappointed.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 3 stars
Writing 2 stars
Setting 3 stars
Originality 3 stars
Characters 4 stars
Romance / Chemistry 1 stars
Ending 2 stars
Good enough to pick up again 1 stars
Sexual Content :: kissing, drinking, man/man kissing, reference to sex.
Characters from Wicked Lovely: Mostly all make an appearance, but most of the stories are about Niall, Irial and Leslie. Which happened to be my least favorite characters.
The stories that I found the best were the ones not set in the WL world. They had more substance to them. Have you ever read a great book that ended on a good note, then the author throws in an epilogue that ruined the whole ending? The epilogue is uninteresting, not needed, silly and just dragged out. Well, that's what all the WL short stories felt like. There was no substance to them. They were long drawn out epilogues that don't really matter. Donia and Keenan story is the worst. I hate to say it, but the word lame comes to mind.
Would I recommend? If your a die hard WL fan, sure. But if you're not, then skip this. You'll probably disappointed.
Plot 3 stars
Cover 3 stars
Writing 2 stars
Setting 3 stars
Originality 3 stars
Characters 4 stars
Romance / Chemistry 1 stars
Ending 2 stars
Good enough to pick up again 1 stars
Sexual Content :: kissing, drinking, man/man kissing, reference to sex.
August 29, 2012
Between these pages lurk beings of harsh beauty and great terror. While one girl is born with Winter within her, another girl will dream the Summer into being. When one girl finds a new life in death another, girl will find a new identity in a woodland creature. And as one girl finds love can be both a blessing and a curse, another girl will learn that love can wait.
Entering a realm that has the potential to be a great nightmare or a fearful faery tale, there may be some familiar faces to guide you on your way. As some beings struggle to break the habits of a lifetime, they may instead find a stolen moment with the one they love. A struggling artist will find new purpose in life, a boy will find a new family and acceptance, and a couple will risk all for a chance at love.
Faery Tales & Nightmares are a mixture of short stories that are romantic, bloody and dreamy in their element. While some stories within are timeless in their faery tale quality, others stories are short tales that are apart of a wider series of books from the authors Wicked Lovely series. Despite having never read any of the Wicked Lovely books, these short stories are an enjoyably unique collection of love, magic and the darkness within.
Entering a realm that has the potential to be a great nightmare or a fearful faery tale, there may be some familiar faces to guide you on your way. As some beings struggle to break the habits of a lifetime, they may instead find a stolen moment with the one they love. A struggling artist will find new purpose in life, a boy will find a new family and acceptance, and a couple will risk all for a chance at love.
Faery Tales & Nightmares are a mixture of short stories that are romantic, bloody and dreamy in their element. While some stories within are timeless in their faery tale quality, others stories are short tales that are apart of a wider series of books from the authors Wicked Lovely series. Despite having never read any of the Wicked Lovely books, these short stories are an enjoyably unique collection of love, magic and the darkness within.
March 13, 2012
I'm not really a huge fan of short story collections, but I have to say that I really enjoyed this one. It's a MUST READ for anyone who loved the Wicked Lovely series.
Most of the stories have our favorite WL characters in them. Two of my favorite characters were Niall & Irial so I was happy to have them fill many of the pages. Some stories tell you about things that happened between books while others take you into events after Darkest Mercy.
My favorite short story was the one with Seth and Niall going on a road trip after the events of Darkest Mercy. I won't spoil it so I'll just say that I was pleased. My favorite non-WL story was the one with the selkies.
I think that anyone who hasn't read WL may have trouble understanding what's going on so my advice is read the Wicked Lovely series. Melissa Marr is a fantastic writer and you don't need to love faeries to get into the characters. She's one of my favorite authors.
Most of the stories have our favorite WL characters in them. Two of my favorite characters were Niall & Irial so I was happy to have them fill many of the pages. Some stories tell you about things that happened between books while others take you into events after Darkest Mercy.
My favorite short story was the one with Seth and Niall going on a road trip after the events of Darkest Mercy. I won't spoil it so I'll just say that I was pleased. My favorite non-WL story was the one with the selkies.
I think that anyone who hasn't read WL may have trouble understanding what's going on so my advice is read the Wicked Lovely series. Melissa Marr is a fantastic writer and you don't need to love faeries to get into the characters. She's one of my favorite authors.
January 8, 2016
I was between a 3 or 4 rating but nostalgia bumped it up to a solid 4. These stories adding closure and an extra perspective on characters I fell in love with in the Wicked Lovely series.
Niall and Irial remain my absolute favorites so I was happy the two longest stories featured them. The stories seemed rushed (I feel like Melissa isn't used to writing short stories as this was an issue I had with most of her stories) but they answered questions left over from the series.
The non-Wicked Lovely stories were not as strong as I expected. Out of all the non-Wicked Lovely stories, I only genuinely liked Transition. Transition was the only story that had the twisted urban fantasy vibe I expected from the all of her stories.
All in all, the non-Wicked Lovely short stories are mediocre but the exploration of familiar Wicked Lovely characters (especially Niall and Irial) make it worth the read.
Niall and Irial remain my absolute favorites so I was happy the two longest stories featured them. The stories seemed rushed (I feel like Melissa isn't used to writing short stories as this was an issue I had with most of her stories) but they answered questions left over from the series.
The non-Wicked Lovely stories were not as strong as I expected. Out of all the non-Wicked Lovely stories, I only genuinely liked Transition. Transition was the only story that had the twisted urban fantasy vibe I expected from the all of her stories.
All in all, the non-Wicked Lovely short stories are mediocre but the exploration of familiar Wicked Lovely characters (especially Niall and Irial) make it worth the read.
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