Wicked Lovely

Harper Teen, Jun 12 2007, $16.99
ISBN: 0061214655

Aislinn like her grandmother has the "Sight" that enables them to see the fairy realm. However, wanting to be accepted by her peers and fearing their cruelty, she pretends that nothing is amiss. She lives by three simple rules. ": Don't ever attract their attention"; "Don't speak to invisible faeries"; and "Don't stare at invisible faeries". For much of her young life adhering to ignore them at the all costs doctrine has worked very well so that she can shoot pool with her friends without the fairies knowing she knows they are nearby.

However, somehow Keenan the Summer King fairy has found out her secret. He demands she answer his interrogation for he believes she is the Winter Queen he has sought for nine hundred mortal years. His minion and his enemies stalk Aislinn as they threaten her friends and family. She is no longer safe pretending ignorance, but her biggest trepidation is what the Summer King will do to her best friend Seth on the solstice.

WICKED LOVELY is a strong teen fantasy that young adults will fully enjoy as Aislinn can no longer hide from her gift. The story line is character driven by Keenan's actions as he does whatever it takes to force Aislinn to become his queen. Her efforts to resist are tampered by her need to keep Seth and her other friends safe. Readers will enjoy Melissa Marr's teen fairy tale starring a high school student who just wants to be part of the crowd suddenly the focus of intense fairy pursuit.

Harriet Klausner