Customer Reviews

Stopping Time, Part 2

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Okay. I want you to prepare yourself for a bit of a déluge in the way of me describing to you just how ecstatically in love I am with this short story. Yes, you heard me right. Short story. What's that you say? You thought I already covered my love for Irial and Niall in my review of Radiant Shadows? Well, I thought so too. But then I stumbled across a little thing called "Stopping Time" and it became clear that this kind of love cannot be "covered" in a single review. Consider this fair warning. I've never actually reviewed a short story before. So here goes. This review will include a few unavoidable spoilers for Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity if you haven't read them yet, but none at all for Radiant Shadows. So if you're up-to-date on the series, you're good to go as "Stopping Time" takes place in between Fragile Eternity and Radiant Shadows and is the absolutely perfect read right now if you're anxiously awaiting the fourth book's release. And I really recommend that you do read it. Having already read Radiant Shadows, I can testify that it would be extremely beneficial (read: so much more awesome) if you'd read this short story first.

It's been months since Leslie walked away from the allure and abuses of the Dark Court and the two loves of her life and went the equivalent of solitary fae. Going to college, seeing a therapist, and trying to make new friends, it hasn't been anything resembling easy. But it was the right decision. And Leslie knows that. She just wishes her heart would remember. That it didn't race every week when Irial sits across the street from her study group and watches her, silently letting her know he's there. That he loves her. He will keep her safe. Depending on the day, the hour, the slant of light passing through her empty apartment, Leslie wishes just once she could break one of the two defining rules that form the shape of her life now. No talking to Irial. No seeing Niall. With the former and the current Dark Kings, the guidelines "look but don't touch" and "listen but don't look" may be exquisitely hard to follow, but they go a long way toward keeping Leslie the kind of safe and independent she relies on these days. Meanwhile, Irial and Niall circle each other warily, quietly dancing around their loss of Leslie and the impossible chasm that is forgiveness and reconciliation. The three of them push on every day until an outside force alters their routine abruptly and it becomes clear someone who knows the intimate details of Leslie's past is intent on using her (and those who love her) for their own purposes. And Leslie realizes she may be forced to break one of her rules in order to protect herself and the two men she loves.

I could not believe how brilliant this story was. I mean literally just the other day I was finishing Radiant Shadows, half-lost in love with Irial and Niall, and wondering desperately why I was spending all this time with Ani and Devlin when all I really wanted was to cozy up and watch the absolutely riveting drama that is the two Dark Kings. Just ask DH. I turned to him multiple times and said, "These characters are freaking awesome. I need a book of just them. And I need it now." It was like the literary gods were listening to me, smiling knowingly. Because the next day I find out that not only has Melissa Marr written a story featuring my three favorite characters, but it's free. And available for immediate download. DH took one look at my face, laughed, and then wisely left me alone to soak it up. And that is exactly what I did. There are so many beautiful scenes in this story. So much concentrated awesome packed into such a small package. This is exactly what I wanted. And Irial, Niall, and Leslie were exactly themselves in all their heartbreaking loyalty, love, pain, and longing. And honestly I couldn't have asked for anything more. And I haven't been precisely right since. For instance, I may have spent an inordinate amount of time haunting the Rath forum thread dedicated to discussing "Stopping Time." I may have read my favorite bits over and over late at night. (The café scene. *dies*) And I may have listened to Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" on repeat after Ms. Marr mentioned it makes her think of Niall. And, okay, I may have a problem. But the first step is admitting it, right? My name is Angie. I have an obsession with a couple of fictional characters. It's not the first time. But I absolutely cannot wait for DARKEST MERCY--the final installment in the Wicked Lovely series--to find out what happens to my beloved boys. I, for one, am hoping happiness is in the cards if they're strong enough to choose it. In the meantime, I simply cannot recommend "Stopping Time" highly enough. I am all kinds of in love with it and it has won an instant spot on my Best of 2010 list--a first for a short story. So. What are you waiting for? Go! Soak it up! And don't worry about me. I'll just be over here reading the café scene again...

Stopping Time part 2 begins immediately where part one left off. Leslie is being drug by her brother who is extorting her for money either from the Fae or from one of his many `bosses'. Leslie is still struggling with her feelings for both Niall and Irial. She is afraid of who she will become if she enters the Dark Court. She isn't afraid of the monsters, but that she'll become one of the monsters. She knows herself and knows there's a reason why Irial chose her and why she chose his tattoo.

This 2nd part is incredibly unfulfilling. I am starting to really get angry at Leslie for having two powerful (and caring despite their court) men falling all over her and her safety, and she is squeamish. I know though at the same time that if she wants to be a different person then she can't do that in the Dark Court. This installment left me with a sour taste in my mouth at the ending. It's as if nothing is ever going to be complete. Why can't she become a Fae and part of another Court... Like the Winter Court that has ties with the Dark Court, but is not a part of it. Look at Seth, he's part of the High Court but is with Ash who is Summer. I mean there seems to be ways of her being Fae and around Niall and Irial (becoming Fae would also mean she won't be addicted to Irial) without becoming Dark. Bleck.... I'm unsatisfied, but who knows hopefully she'll release a longer book with a better ending then the last.

My mouth is parched because I wanted so much to read a little more. I loved getting to revisit these characters once again. I hope that Ms. Marr continues to delight us with the tales of the faerie world. Far too short, but worth it.

Really just 2nd half of the chapter...conclusion of part 1.
Wish the writer would have used the space to write an actual story. Don't have time for a writer that spends the whole time mooning over two guys she loves but can't be with either. I got it the first 10 times.

I picked this short story up when I realized that they were free for the Kindle. (Just use Kindle for PC if you don't have a Kindle and you can read it on your computer, along with many other books!) It is a very short story, readable in one sitting. What it lacks in length it makes up for in content.

The story focuses on Leslie, Irial, and Niall, even Gabriel shows up for a bit, some of my favorite characters from the Ink Exchange series. It is a great filler book while waiting for the next in the series, Radiant Shadows, to come out. I would love to see this short story expanded into a full novel because the love triangle presented here is one worth following through on. Any Melissa Marr fan will delight in having this story to read.

This was another freebie for my Amazon Kindle. Again, I can't argue with the price. This picks up right where Stopping Time, Part 1 left off. It completes the tale between Leslie, Niall, and Irial.

Like the first part this was an okay read but nothing outstanding. The outcome of the story is predictable and nothing all that interesting happens. If you are really attached to Leslie and have already read part 1 you will have to read Part 2 to finish up the story.

An okay read, something to do to pass the time, but nothing groundbreaking here. It is very short, took maybe 20 minutes to read.

I picked up Stopping Time part 1 & 2 for free on my Kindle. The blurb sounded intriguing with the mixing of the mortal world and Fey, and was coming to say that this two part short story had interested me enough to pick up the rest of the series. It was a good look at some of the characters and the author's fast paced writing style. So what has me marking these as a two star review instead of my planned four. This is solely based on the categorization of these books. There is material content that is much to mature for children (and I would question it even if it was listed under teens). As a elementary teacher I could not in good consciousness let this past. This series had happily reminded me of the Meredith Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton, but Hamilton series is adult romantic fiction.

Left feeling disappointed... Am a huge fan of Melissa Marrs. Was really excited for the characters to finally have closure & their happy ending, but i feel nothing has really been resolved and am left unsatisfied.

This novella part 2 picks up where part 1 ended. It began with a bang for having Irial come to the rescue for Leslie. He risks his faelty for Leslie because by him calling for help from Niall, he reveals that he is with Leslie which he isn't supposed to be. The story goes through some twists and you learn some things about Irial and Niall. Irail and Niall seem to even make progress with their relationship. However, I didn't like the ending. I don't know if there will be a part 3, but I hope if there is or maybe if Leslie is brought back into the books, then she will get to join a court of some sort so she can be with either of the strong and daring fae's who already love her so dearly. Overall it was well written and intriguing!

Hello, I am a Dark Court Junkie......... I am so glad that Melissa Marr penned this wonderful short story. I always wanted to know what happened to Leslie. Did she miss her Dark Court family? In the first half it was so wonderful to get to revisit our old friends, and then bam cliffhanger!~!
So in part 2 I absolutely love the interaction between Niall, Irial and Leslie. It is like being a fly on the wall, getting a little insight about what happened to them after the last page of Ink Exchange. And to find out a bit of history on what sent Naill to the Summer court.
To me Stopping Time is a perfect extension of Ink Exchange. It left me very please with the ending and wanting More!~!~
Go Team Naill! :O)