Customer Reviews

Darklight (Wondrous Strange)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Three words; Sonny is MINE! or impressive, exciting & captivating

I was even more impressed with Darklight than it's predecessor Wondrous Strange. Livingston was able to weave an unpredictable and entertaining plot, with all the characters that I had grown to love in Wondrous Strange. Not to mention characters that were re-introduced like... Fennrys. Where did this delicious dish come from! I'll have seconds please!

I loved the elements of the Otherworld, Livingston has a beautiful writing style that makes you feel like you are there with the character, just awesomely captivating descriptions without being overly detailed.

This is definitely a series that you will want to read in order. There are a lot of references to the previous novel and there are some character histories that wouldn't be clear had you not read the first novel. As with most novels in the middle of a series there are some questions left unanswered but there are some huge revelations as well.

I love Livingston's story telling ability. There is something in the way that she tells a story that is addicting. Awesome fae series. I can't wait to read the next novel!

Darklight starts six months after Wondrous Strange. Sonny is still trying to get rid of the wild hunt in Otherworld and Kelley is rehearsing for a new play (Romeo and Juliet).
This second book has amazing things working for it: a deep knowledge of some characters like Fennrys who is great until certain point in the book where things are a little dark and you don't know what to think of him, but even then you like him; the infamous parents of Kelley give you a little inside of their lives and I think they are a little more complicated than we thought in the first book; the big, big secret near the end of the book that is kind of necessary for the interspecies love story; the originality of the bad guys; Sonny keeps kicking fairy ass.
But as a second book it has many, many holes in the story, a lot of "what if's", numerous plots that are left hanging in the air, scores of jealousy (that let me tell you I think are justified, not because I doubt the love, but because of the behavior), Sonny's wit is nowhere near the first installment, and finally and most important I don't like when I read a book to end up depressed by it, of course being the middle book I knew there was no happy ending, but I didn't think it was so bad.
So, summarizing: it was good for many reasons, but being the second of (I hope just) a trilogy, the irresolution of several plots and the ending, I just couldn't give it more than two, but maybe if you know what you getting yourself into since the beginning, you will appreciate more the good parts.

Since the frightening events of last Halloween, which ended with her beloved, Sonny, forced to leave her and return to the Faerie world, Kelley has been rehearsing for a new play, testing her powers, and trying to keep hope that she'll see Sonny again soon.

His Janus friends provide her with protection and company, but they hardly compare. And her unnerving Faerie mother keeps sending her images of Sonny on his violent quest that make Kelley wonder just how well she knows the boy she fell in love with.

But Kelley soon finds she's got far more than romance to worry about. An old enemy of her friend Bob (otherwise known as Puck) is after her, and it looks as though he won't be happy until he's murdered her. And the father Kelley no longer wants to acknowledge is sick - perhaps on the verge of dying.

As Kelley struggles to stay alive and decide who deserves her loyalty, she discovers that a danger far greater than she imagined threatens not only her and Sonny, but all of Faerie.

DARKLIGHT picks up several months after the events of WONDROUS STRANGE, and readers who enjoyed the first book will immediately get wrapped up in the story. Livingston weaves a tale full of twists and turns few will see coming, leaving major villains unknown and everyone's motives except narrators Kelley and Sonny's uncertain.

The new mythology introduced is fascinating, and this book's main villain is creepy and horrifying. The story overall is serious, but bits of humor involving a kelpie named Lucky, Kelley's roommate, Tyff, and Bob keep if from seeming too solemn.

Unfortunately, the book also suffers somewhat from middle-of-the-trilogy syndrome, in which many conflicts are introduced or hinted at and very few are resolved. Of course, this will leave readers ravenous for the final volume!

Recommended to all fans of urban fantasy for a fresh take on Faerie lore; best to read WONDROUS STRANGE first, though, to follow the story properly.

Reviewed by: Lynn Crow

I liked Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, but I loved Darklight! Since most of the background story was introduced in the first novel, readers were able to jump right into the action with the second book.

In this novel, readers are able to explore some of the minor characters from Wondrous Strange to a further degree. I enjoyed reading more about Kelley's parents, Bob (Puck), Fennrys, and the Autumn and Spring Courts of Faerie. Fennrys, one of Sonny's fellow Janus guards, plays a larger, more integral role than he did in the first installment. Some readers will find his presence maddening, but I enjoyed the discord he caused; I felt that it added an interesting element. I have a feeling Fennrys will be making another appearance in the third novel, as there were some loose ends left.

Kelley and Sonny's love sparkled in Darklight. Since they were separated during the time between the end of Wondrous Strange and the beginning of Darklight, there was plenty of tension every time they saw one another again. While I always want my favorite characters to end up together in the end, I love when they have issues getting to that point. Not only does it make their story more interesting, it makes their story one I can actually relate to. In Darklight, Sonny and Kelley's relationship still shines bright, but there are some darker undertones of jealousy and distrust.

The action in Darklight was well written and engaging. Livingston does a great job writing sinister characters, like the Leprechauns found in the novel. Not only are they not the cliche you imagine them to be, they're better.

A major secret is revealed near the end of Darklight, leading to a shocking conclusion. I was left anxious for the next book and the continuation of Sonny and Kelley's story. I can only imagine that the third book will be a page-turner as well!

It has been half a year for out Faerie (and not so faerie) friends in New York. After suffering through the devastation of the Wild Hunt, Kelley wants her boyfriend, Sonny, back. Sonny, unfortunately, has a duty to fulfill. He is now a fighter for King Auberon, Kelley's father. Because of a mistake made in Wondrous Strange (book 1), he can't come back unless he kills the remaining Hunters of the Wild Hunt started by Kelley's mother, Queen Mabh. So while Kelley is missing Sonny, she thinks she will have some success in seeing him in Central Park. Central Park is where the gate between the mortal world and the Fae world has cracked and things are beginning to creep through the cracks. Unfortunately for Kelley, none of them are Sonny.

I really enjoyed this book. Although I don't think I liked it quite as much as Wondrous Strange. I love Kelley, but she had a knack for getting herself into trouble. Her going back to the park and getting attacked in the middle of the night made me want to punch her. She has the Janus Guard, but she never took them with her when she ventured into the park where she was always being hunted and that made me want to punch her sometimes. But I love that she is getting into her Fae power which helps her. Whenever we have characters just discovering who they are, they are always apprehensive about working with their powers. They are usually frightened of the fact that they aren't human. But Kelley grew up fast and learned about her powers. I like that Livingston did that.

I loved all the characters in this. I am a huge Puck (aka Bob) fan. He oozes plenty of personality. Actually, dare I say, he reminds me a bit of Myrnin from the Morganville Vampires series. But my favorite character was Fennrys Wolf. He is not quite Sonny's friend, but he is also a guard who grew up in a court, the Spring court. Sonny doesn't like seeing him around Kelley, but knows he is best to look out after her while he is working for Auberon. I loved Fenn, He cracked me up and he was hot. As the story progresses though, I have the feeling Fennrys is up to something. I don't want to give out my suspicions, but something was off when Fenn returns later in the book after a strange hiatus. I can't wait for more of his story.

I liked the plots in the book. The one plot we really finish is the fight with the greenmen though. The others definitely have more to them, but we weren't given much of those yet. There is a terrible secret about Sonny and what he really is. We also find out that the Greenmen aren't the only ones they should be afraid of. Kelley's friend and roommate Tyffanwy (aka Tyff) knows something that she took drastic steps to not tell Kelley and I have a feeling it has something to do with Tyff's supposedly good friend, Titania, may have her own agenda. Problem is, we don't find out what it is. There is also the issue with Kelley's dad being sick and the fact that he may have been poisoned since the Fae don't really get sick. But again, not much was revealed here.

This was a great book. As I said before, I mainly started this series because of the covers. Shallow, I know, but come on, they are gorgeous. Redheads always get great covers. Am I the only that noticed that or is it just me? As much as I enjoyed the book, the ending made me want to scream. It wasn't bad or anything just made me insanely sad. The next book, Tempestuous, is the last in the series. So I am hoping all the doubts brought up in this book will be brought to light. There is obviously plenty of betrayal, but again, we will have to see where it will lead. But this book was full of magic and amazing characters, both good and bad. This book was just about raising suspicions and so I believe Tempestuous will pack a big punch considering all that was left unsaid (and said) in Darklight.

[...].

Can you imagine what it would be like to discover that the characters from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream were real? That the Faerie realm actually exists and you are a Faerie princess? As the daughter of the Winter King and the Autumn Queen, Kelley Winslow doesn't have to imagine.

Darklight is the second book in the Wondrous Strange trilogy and follows the story of 17-year-old Kelley Winslow. While performing A Midsummer Night's Dream in the previous book, Kelley discovered that the actors in her play were more that figments of Shakespeare's imagination but actually had real life counterparts. Not only that, but she herself was Faerie and a princess at that! With the aid of her new love Sonny, a changeling charged with guarding one of the four gates to Faerie, Kelley was forced to confront her estranged parents and save both worlds from destruction....or so I've been told. See I didn't get a chance to read Wondrous Strange first.

I try not read books out of order, but I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Darklight for review, and it looked so inviting that I couldn't stop myself from starting it right away. Of course, I then felt like I was playing catch-up through most of this book. In that sense, my review is a bit hampered since both books are really two parts of one big story. So rather than discuss every part of this book, I'm going to mention the highs and lows as I saw them:

The character who made the biggest impression on me was Fennrys Wolf. Like Sonny, he's a Janus Guard, a human who was raised by and imbued with faerie magic from the time he was a baby. He's kind of a jerk sometimes, but not in a malicious way. He enjoys pushing peoples buttons especially the jealousy prone Sonny. I'm hoping he'll get even more page time in the next book.

The Faerie world created here is delightfully familiar with famous characters like Puck and Titiana from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, but then intriguingly Other with unique additions like the Janus Guard (changelings who guard the four gates to Faerie). Blending the Faerie and Human worlds is also well done (who knew Central Park was one of the locations of a Faerie Gate?). And I didn't expect (but quite enjoyed) the high number of action scenes in this book.

For my complaints, the majority of the story takes place in the Faerie realm, so the urban elements are necessarily lite. I tend to prefer more urban in my urban fantasy. Also alternating chapters from Kelley and Sonny's perspective was a little frustrating as it tended to slow down the story progress. Kelley's chapter would end with a scene of impending doom and then the next chapter, rather than picking up with Kelley, would jump back to what Sonny had been doing during that time. And since Kelley and Sonny are separated for most of this book, they spend the story pinning for, doubting, and then pinning again for each other again. I basically had to take it on faith their love had a strong foundation from the first book.

While not a cliffhanger in the traditional sense, the ending of Darklight definitely sets the stage for the last book in the trilogy. A few plot lines are tied up, but most are left dangling even more tangled than before. But with any good book, Darklight left me wanting more.

So how did Darklight fare even with my ignorance of the first book? Pretty well. Just don't be like me and read Darklight before Wondrous Strange. This book does relies heavily on the events and character development of the first book. Not that Lesley doesn't do a good job of bringing new readers up to date, but if you're anything like me, you'll want to experience all of that first hand. Me? I'm an impatient idiot. And even though I now know most of what happened in Wondrous Strange, I'm really looking forward to how it all happened. I want to experience with Kelley what is was like discovering her Faerie heritage, falling in love with and then almost losing Sonny, and embracing her unique position of straddling both worlds. After that, I'll get read Darklight again with new eyes and be more than ready for the as yet untitled conclusion to the Wondrous Strange trilogy.

Sexual Content: (YA titles receive a more thorough breakdown) Kissing

Darklight is yet again another magical, action packed installment of one of the best faerie series I've ever read! I love how this book continues to enlighten the reader with character development. I strongly feel I know more about these characters with every page I read. My favorite aspect of this second book is experiencing the faerie realm. Lesley's choice of words to describe the fae world sparkled (literally!) in my mind with beautiful images. I once again fell in love with Sonny, however I also started to warm up to other male companions too. Kelley, remained my favorite strong willed female protagonist that I wouldn't mind hanging out with if she was an actual person in real life. I also enjoyed all the twists and turns, Lesley never disappoints with the act of surprise. If you haven't noticed I LOVE this series and will eagerly anticipate the third book which unfortunately comes out next year, I think? I strongly recommend you pick up Wondrous Strange and Darklight if your a fan of beautifully written YA fantasy books.

I just saw the video for Darklight on YouTube and it is fantastic--so lush and rich and fine, just like the books. Can't wait for the next one to see how Livingston resolves the love triangle!

Originally posted on my blog: [...].

My Thoughts:

If you know anything about me, you know I love faeries. Any kind of faery. When I received Darklight in the mail, I sat down right away to read it. Wondrous Strange, Lesley's first book, is easily on my list of favorites. While Darklight doesn't beat Woundrous Strange, it certainly comes close.

When I started the book, I had forgotten a majority of what happens in Wondrous Strange. Lesley easily provides any information you need to remember within the first few chapters without a major info dump. Info dumps up front usually put me off a book, so thank you, Lesley, for not doing that to me. Another problem I usually have with sequels is my lack of attachment to the characters. Since I hadn't read Wondrous Strange recently, I had sort of forgotten who was who and why I was supposed to care about a certain character, swoon over one, or be afraid of another. Within the first 50 pages, I could easily identify which was which and all the emotions I had felt during Wondrous Strange came rushing back.

Speaking of characters, these are some of my favorites. Kelley is a normal teenage girl that has discovered she's really a Faery. Talk about a punch in the face. She's strong-willed and level-headed, a nice combination when you're a girl in her position.

Sonny is just as swoon-worthy as he was in Wondrous Strange, possibly more so. My favorite reason for the third person point of view in these stories is that we are able to enjoy Sonny even when he's not with Kelley. Sonny is a strong character that is just sick in love. The bond between Kelley and Sonny seems to be unbreakable.

Mabh and Auberon are what I like to call "chemical reaction" characters. Very cause and effect. One does something and there are instant consequences, ripples. Not only are the characters we love, or hate, back in full force, there is a whole slew of new characters introduced which makes the book fun, fresh, or scary at times (a good scary, that is). Faeries are easily differentiated from the humans because of the language. The Faeries speech is formal, regal almost, yet still understandable.

One of my favorite aspects of Darklight is the fact that, while Wondrous Strange took place lmost solely in New York, this story is set mostly in the Otherworld. Lesley creates a vivid setting that you feel like you are literally walking through. Her visuals are stunning and real.

The Verdict:

A fabulous follow up to Wondrous Strange, Darklight is an emotional roller coaster into the Otherworld and back again.

Since last Autumn, when Kelley Winslot learned that she was a Faerie Princess, she fell in love with Sonny Flannery, who is a changeling guard. They saved the mortal realm from 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 has to hunt down what is left of the Wild Hunt. An horrible encounter sends Kelley into the Otherworld and has a reunion with Sonny. Ancient magick is stirring and a new enemy is emerging and is willing to go anything 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.
I loved Wondrous Strange, it was such an amazing book that I couldn't wait for next book. Darklight starts a bit after Wondrous Strange ends. Kelley still has her amazing personality, but she didn't have the spark from the last book. I think that it could be that she missed Sonny. Sonny was the strong person that he was in the last book. I loved how the romance became more intense and you could tell that they missed one and another. I also loved how the smaller characters were expanded on and you got to learn more weakness about the characters. The plot was really good. It wasn't predictable and also it was entertaining. Darklight is really Original, and it didn't remind me of any other faerie book. Livingston is a great writer and I can't wait for the new book. I recommend this to anyone that read Wondrous Strange and enjoyed it. Also anyone that loves faeries would love this series, so start Wondrous Strange and enjoy this beautifully written series.