Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Radiant Shadows Contest & Review

Radiant Shadows
A Wicked Lovely Book
Author: Melissa Marr
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins
Available at Indie Bound, Powell's Books, Barnes & Noble

Summary: Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers. Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?


I was sent a copy of Radiant Shadows for review after having read and reviewed the first book in the series Wicked Lovely (review here). In some ways, I enjoyed this book even more than I did the first one. Devlin is a fascinating other worldly character who struggles to understand human emotion as he gets to know Ani. She, on the other hand, is learning about her fae side, and what that means. In many ways they are opposites, and yet they need each other. Melissa Marr has this extraordinary voice in her writing that somehow makes me feel as if I'm in the world she's created and part of it. Though the characters are foreign to me, I can relate to them and feel their emotions along with them. Her books really are breathtaking.

Radiant Shadows, for me, was about acceptance, forgiveness of others and ourselves, and learning to appreciate the differences in those around us. We are not all the same and that makes life so very interesting. I loved that Devlin and Ani both had to look inside themselves for the solutions to problems within their worlds. This book is a love story but it's also filled with action, adventure and magic, which makes it so much more.

I've already picked up Ink Exchange which has many of the characters that are in Radiant Shadows, so I can get to know them better.

I did want to mention, as I did with Wicked Lovely, that the books in this series are more mature than some Young Adult titles. I would recommend it for teens perhaps 15 and older.

MELISSA IN PERSON
Melissa is going to be at these locations this summer. If you live in the area stop by and be sure to take picture!

Saturday, June 19
2 pm Borders Bookstore
Fredericksburg, Virginia

June 25-27:
American Library Association Conference
Washington, DC

Saturday, June 26
7:00-9:00 am
Harper Collins Fiction Breakfast

Saturday, June 26
2:00-3:00 pm
Signing in Harper Collins booth

Sunday, June 27
8:30-10:00 am YALSA Coffee Klatch

RADIANT SHADOWS CONTEST
The publisher has graciously allowed me to give away one hardbound copy of Radiant Shadows. I will be on vacation much of June, so the contest will end on July 1st, 2010. My question:

Do you like characters in a book to be either completely good vs. totally evil, or can they have shades of grey?

Please leave your answer in a comment, and if your email is not on a Google profile leave it in the comment so I can get hold of you. The contest will run until 7/1/2010 when I will use the handy random number generator to pick one winner, and email them plus post it on the blog.

Thanks! ~Moonsanity



CymLowell

25 comments:

Unknown said...

I like it when they have shades of grey probably because it makes them easier to relate to.

pirate_pony2 at yahoo dot com

Julie said...

This review just clinched that I have to buy "Wicked Lovely" and this one for Not-So-Bebe Girl Autumn - I think she will love them!
(and then, of course, I get to read them when she's done!) :)

Julie @ Knitting and Sundries

Carrie at In the Hammock Blog said...

Thanks for the great review and contest!! I have to say I like shades of grey b/c that makes the characters much more interesting. Everyone makes mistakes, no one can be 100% good all the time, so grey area makes characters more human.

inthehammockblog (at) gmail (d0t) com

Ammietia (a girl you once knew) said...

Please enter me if it's available to Canadian residents... I love the Wicked Lovely series and Radiant Shadows is the only one I'm missing right now!

I like shades of grey the most. No one is completely good or evil, and I think books should reflect that. I especially like books that make you sympathize with the "enemy." *cough*Gemma Doyle Trilogy*cough* Some people wouldn't want to relate to an "evil" character, though... I find it interesting.

lilybells @ live.com

Bookie said...

I like when characters have shades of grey because they seem more real to me that way. No one is purely good or bad. Without shades of grey the character becomes something of a caricature.

Martha Lawson said...

I like for them to have shades of grey. I really like it when a character is supposed to be really bad does something good! Please enter me for this one.

I follow on gfc

mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

Kelsey said...

I like the characters to have shades of grey, because don't we all have shades of good and bad? Any person can be both.

Thanks for the great giveaway! Can't wait to read this one.

Kelsey
krae991 at yahoo dot com

throuthehaze said...

I like characters have shades of grey. It makes them more interesting and unpredictable.

throuthehaze at gmail dot com

chirth7 said...

I really prefer my hero's to be good. One book I read the hero was kind of starting the relationship off on a lie and I never could get over that, Now if were talking vampires I expect them to be great to their mate and bad anywhere else is needed.

chirth7@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I like them good really.

shundelt@yahoo.com

Tina said...

Shades of grey is ok my me

christina101092@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I like shades of grey in my Characters. Thanks for the giveaway. jeff72768@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I am all for shades of grey. I do not think anyone can really be completely either way. In real life or fiction.

robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com

Angiegirl said...

Oh my goodness. Shades of gray, PLEASE. I cannot abide all one or the other. Which is why I love several of Marr's characters. They're all over the place and beautiful with it.

Thanks for the giveaway!

k_sunshine1977 said...

most definitely shades of gray...seems more realistic for me.

k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I'd want the character to have shades of grey because you never know what to expect from them next and it's more relatable.

Skk25@aol.com

mariska said...

ohhh, please PICK ME :) i would really like to read these books !

i like they have shades of grey, coz there's no person that completely good or totally evil !

uniquas at ymail dot com

Anonymous said...

I like it when characters are shades of gray. For example Damon from Vampire Diaries, he's way more interesting than dark-brooding brother Stefan. I think that characters just get a little boring if they're just going to be super good guys and everyone does make mistakes and they can't be black & white.

Thanks for the giveaway & review.

Ddoogg04@aol.com

Ladytink_534 said...

Some of my favorite characters fall in the grey area!

Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Grey all the way. If it's black and white they are too good or too bad.

lovemybabysquid at yahoo dot com

Julie S said...

I think shades of grey make the characters more complex and unpredictable.

juliecookies(at)gmail.com

Harmony B. said...

Character's having shades of grey makes them more complex and interesting! Who wants to read about a good old mary sue :P

twisterstar (at) live (dot) com

Michelle said...

Shades of Grey for sure! It makes a story much more interesting!

thanks
mmillet at gmail dot com

buddyt said...

I think that usually shades of grey can be more interesting but occasionally a totally evil villain can really be the thing !

Thanks

Carol T

buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

Persephone said...

Shades of gray can be great, esp if you wanna make identifiable main characters or if you wanna make a villain more sympathetic. But a completely ruthless villain can be fun. But I prefer some realism.

patronus89013 at yahoo dot com