Darklight

author: Lesley Livingston

published: December 22nd 2009

series: Wondrous Strange, Book 2 of 3

publisher: Harper Teen

format: hardcover

pages: 310

The following synopsis comes from Goodreads.com

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt.

Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power.

Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

The Cover: This cover looks really, really good next to Wondrous Strange and Tempestuous (to be released January 7th 2011). I like this cover more than Wondrous Strange's cover. This cover is warmer than the first (which was cold. It was pretty much tinted blue. You can see it here!) It's not that I didn't like the cover of Wondrous Strange, it just didn't STICK out as awesome. This cover looks awesome! I love her dress and she looks so great! It's "theme" is pink! And it's overall beautiful.

The Book: I liked Darklight more than I liked Wondrous Strange. And I really did like Wondrous Strange. You can read about that here!

Darklight picks up, I believe, six months after opening night of A Midsummer Night's Dream where Wondrous Strange left off. Kelley is now working on her role as Juliet in, you guessed it, Romeo & Juliet. Again, I was not entirely enthralled in the story until maybe a third of the way through, but when I did, I couldn't put it down! And I didn't! In this sequel, we see more of Fennrys who is actually, surprisingly and refreshingly comical. Also, Gentleman Jack is back and as sweet as ever! He is quite possibly my favorite "non-main" character and I really hope to see more of him in the third installment. Kelley and Sonny both have to overcome being separate from each other and the doubts that come along with the separation. They also both grow into themselves far more than I expected.

One of the best things about Darklight is that there are unexpected twists that will leave you desperate for more! (You really want to read this now, don't you? ;] )

This book was a great sequel to Wondrous Strange and definitely fulfilled my hopes for this series.

Tempestuous, the final installment of the Wondrous Strange series will be out on January 7th 2011!

Wondrous Strange

author: Lesley Livingston

published: December 23rd 2008

series: Wondrous Strange, Book 1 of 3

publisher: HarperTeen

format: hardcover

pages: 327

The following synopsis comes from Goodreads.com

Since the dawn of time, the Faerie have taken. . . .

For seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow, faeries are just something from childhood stories. Then she meets Sonny Flannery, whose steel-gray eyes mask an equally steely determination to protect her.

Sonny guards the Samhain Gate, which connects the mortal realm with the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld. Usually kept shut by order of icy King Auberon, the Gate stands open but once a year.

This year, as the time approaches when the Samhain Gate will swing wide and nightmarish Fae will fight their way into an unsuspecting human world, something different is happening . . . something wondrous and strange. And Kelley's eyes are opening not just to the Faerie that surround her but to the heritage that awaits her.

Now Kelley must navigate deadly Faerie treachery—and her growing feelings for Sonny—in this dazzling page-turner filled with luminous romance.

My Thoughts:

The Cover:

I think it's a lovely cover. I absolutely love the font of the title and its placement. It really draws the eye; and with a title like Wondrous Strange it is not likely to be forgotten. It's also a shiny light blue :) The girl on the cover is a good depiction of Kelley. In my head she looks much like this girl. (Probably because I saw the cover :P) It's not the most memorable cover I've ever seen, or my favorite, but I think it looks really good and fits the story.

The Book:

Kelley is a great character. She's living on her own, which is sort of new for me to read about in a YA book. Kelley has an aunt, but she's living elsewhere while Kelley is in New York City. This was a great change for me. It was definitely better that Kelley was alone in NYC. (Well, she has a roommate)

Kelley's reaction to the character Sonny was very realistic to me. Now, I know everyone is different, but she reacted in a way I would expect most people to react. This made it much easier to relate to her and get into the story.

When I started reading it, it was a solid three out of five for me. I liked it, but I wasn't loving it. Once the plot really got started, I got into it and it became a solid 4. Maybe 4.5. It's a great take on faerie lore in the modern day.

I have to admit, I took a break near the beginning to read The Iron Daughter. I wasn't expect it, and I wasn't going to wait. Let's face it, I was waiting for it since I read The Iron King back in February! And Wondrous Strange hadn't really sucked me in yet.

For faerie lovers, this book will definitely be a fun ride. It's similar and different to the other books I've read. (Imagine that...) the differences really make this book a wondrous and strange journey into faerie lands.

Needless to say, I'm going to be reading the sequel, Darklight next. I may even start it right now.

Wondrous Strange & Forget-Her-Nots

Over on the HarperCollins website, you can read all of Wondrous Strange. Yep! That's right. All 336 pages are available to read! It's a great chance to read the first book in the series. I know I'm going to read it!

So check out Wondrous Strange here!

And do that soon before it's gone. We don't know when that'll be so make sure you go.

HarperCollins also has the first five chapter of Tenner Any Brecount White's Forget-Her-Nots available here!

Forget-Her-Nots hits the shelves on March 2nd 2010!