Review: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston 
Wondrous Strange Trilogy, Book 2 
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Published: December 22, 2009 by HarperTeen
ISBN: 978-0061575402
Received From: Media Masters Publicity

Book Blurb:

Faerie can't lie . . . or can they?

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.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in Darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with Wondrous Strange.

My Ramblings:

The Wondrous Strange trilogy by Lesley Livingston is a modern day fairy tale surrounding the young and aspiring, stage actress Kelley, who has the world of Faeries thrust upon her very unexpectedly. If you haven't read the first book Wondrous Strange, I highly recommend that you do before reading Darklight.

After reading Wondrous Strange, I eagerly went straight to reading Darklight. Darklight had strong character growth, a deepening romance and a darker story line that continued to grab my attention. Kelley had more of an angst attitude and Sonny isn't as trusting as he was before plus fighting the Hunters has giving him a harder edge. These changes in Kelley and Sonny causes tension between them but it also deepens their feelings for one another. I also enjoyed seeing Fennrys in a whole new light, proving he is capable of more then just fighting and growling (Yes, he growls!) as he was previously portrayed.

I found it fascinating how Lesley created hints at parallels in this story to theatre production of Romeo & Juliet. She did the same thing in Wondrous Strange with A Midsummer Night's Dream. Lesley's portrayal of the Faeries, are just as I have pretty much imagined them to be: whimsical, fickle in nature, and loving and hating in the same breath. You never know if you can trust them. This is what makes them so dangerous in this story and antes up the mystery. Oh, and not all the Fair Folk are magically delicious either – the leprechauns are terrifying.

The ending was one I didn't see coming. It left me feeling awed and frustrated in a good way. I'm eagerly looking forward to the final conclusion to this trilogy.

Cover note: I think the covers of the books in the Wondrous Strange trilogy do a terrific job depicting what Kelley looks like. She looks just as I would imagine her to be.

My Rating: Really Liked it

Places you can find Lesley: Web Site | Blog | Twitter

Wondrous Strange Trilogy:

  1. Wondrous Strange
  2. Darklight
  3. TBA

Other Ramblings:

17 comments:

Lori said...

Great review! I really love this series! I think it's one of my favorites!

Donna said...

Thanks Lori! I've enjoyed this trilogy very much. I'm anxious to see how it will work out in this last book.

Chris said...

So is it one of those frustrating endings like some of KMM -fever books, where you feel as if you're left hanging??? I'm not good with those.

Donna said...

Chris - very similar but not as intense. I'm not very good with cliffhangers either. It's the waiting that gets to me. I have a "nosey" problem...I have to know! ;)

A Buckeye Girl Reads said...

I saw this on GoodReads and wondered about the series.I'll have to remember this series-I love books about the Fae.

Blodeuedd said...

Loving the cover, and good to hear that she looks like she should. I am not a fan of when the hero is like tiny and black haired, and the cover is just the opposite (to take to to the extreme ;)

Donna said...

Colette - It's actually a trilogy so the ending is coming soon. Which I like because it seems there a ton of series books out with no ending in sight. Very good reads the first two books.

B - I agree with you. I like for the cover to represent the main characters or the atmosphere of the book. Otherwise I'll find myself constantly trying to reconcile it with what I'm reading.

Jackie said...

Thanks for the useful information Donna, have been wondering about this series and never picked it up yet to check it out. I have been seeing the reviews done on Book 1 and now this Book 2 and glad to know it is not as intense as KMM's fever books. I love the KMM books but the waiting kills me like everyone else. Since you state that the 3rd book in this trilogy come outs fairly soon may wait and get all 3 to read back to back.

Story sounds intriguing, thanks for the review to help make up my mind!! :))))))

jackie b central texas

Donna said...

Jackie - You're welcome. The suspense is killer sometimes. I'm not sure when the last book the Wondrous Strange trilogy will be out, hopefully soon. :)

Sophia (FV) said...

Oh I do like an unexpected ending! Very nice review. I think I'll add both of these books to my list! Thanks Donna!

Donna said...

FV - Thanks! I like it when something in a book can sneak up on you like this one did. I hope you like the books as much as I did. :)

Lea said...

Great Review Donna!

The cover art for this book and the video are spectacular!

This sounds like a really good series.

Thanks for sharing!

L

Alexia561 said...

Enjoyed your review! I'm waiting for my copies to arrive, and can't wait to read them! Am currently on a Fae kick, so glad to have this series.

Donna said...

Lea - Thank you! I do like the covers also. They truly are a good representation of the books.

Alexia - Cool! I hope to see what you think about this trilogy so far. :)

Smokinhotbooks said...

Beautiful covers. I like the Midsummer Night's Dream angle.

As long as the endings are not like KMM's I can add to m TBR pile if they are, my poor heart can't take anymore.

Penny Watson said...

Stunning, stunning cover! And this is making me re-think my decision not to read YA.

Lola said...

Awesome review Donna! This book looks amazing! I am definitely putting both books on my tbr pile! :)

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