Wicked (Wicked Trilogy, #1)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Amy Landon (Narrator)

THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET WICKED IN NEW ORLEANS.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

• ISBN10: 1494557312
• ISBN13: 9781494557317
• Publish Date: 8 December 2014 (first published 4 November 2014)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 14 April 2017
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Tantor Media, Inc
• Edition: Unabridged edition
• Format: Audiobook (MP3)
• Duration: 11 hours and 44 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Wicked is my first time reading Jennifer L. Armentrout and I see the reason she’s a favourite of readers of fantasy. With a combination of Armentrout’s riveting writing and Amy Landon’s impeccable narration, I was swiftly drawn into a world which was fun, sexy and suspenseful. A world in which Faes pose a danger to humans and one where the members of a special organization called the Order, hunts and kill them.

Wicked, the first book in the Wicked Trilogy, takes readers on a journey designed to entertain and captivate. A journey filled with suspense, adventure and romance.

Ivy Morgan attends college by day and hunts Faes by night. A dangerous job, which places her at risk of a short life span. Despite the risk, she’s motivated to carry out the mandate of The Order to destroy the Faes. A motivation fueled by a past tragedy, which led to her avoiding close relationships.

Ren Owens, a swoon worthy, flirtatious, but dangerous and intense alpha male who works for a special brand of the Order. He came to New Orleans for a special and dangerous assignment. He can’t afford distractions in any form, but he never counted on someone like Ivy. Several encounters with the fiery red-headed beauty have him completely smitten, Ivy, on the other attempts to fight her attraction by staying far away as possible. Unfortunately, her boss requested they worked as a team when the danger levels in the city intensified. Soon, Ivy and Ren will find themselves immersed in a situation where secrets abound, danger lurks, and romance blossoms.

Wicked features awesome characters, with my favourite being Tink, the brownie Ivy rescued. There is never a dull moment whenever he’s around. He will have you cracking up with his hilarious statements. I loved how he had Ivy’s back, even though it was clear he knew more than he was letting on. The banter between Tink and Ivy will crack you up, but what will have you rolling with laughter is his interactions with Ren.

I enjoyed the writing and the pacing. The story presented no surprises, as I guessed several things before their revelation. The story ends on a cliffhanger, which left me wanting more. Fortunately, the second book is sitting nicely on my kindle.


Amy Landon did an impeccable job with the narration, which brought the story to another level. She’s got mad skills. Her tone and portrayal of the characters made for an easy listen. How she does it, I have no clue, but her voice varied for each character. The voices used matched each character perfectly. Simply fantastic.

Fans of urban fantasy, this is a great book to add to your reading list. I am looking forward to reading her other works.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

Passionflix adapted Wicked in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy books into a movie recently. It’s a big issue of mine if I don’t read the book first. Thankfully, I read the book in less than three days and watched the movie right after I finished it. (I could’ve finished the book in one day, but life has been busy for this Book Lovin’ Mama.) 

Storyline/My Thoughts: First off, I don’t like comparing books to other books, but this book kind of reminded me of the Shadow Hunters (movie and tv show). (I have never read the books, but need too soon.) Instead of going after demons, this book has the Order go after Fae. 

Wicked is a New Adult Fantasy, and it’s told in one POV, Ivy Morgan’s POV. She’s a twenty-two-year-old college student, but she’s not a typical college student. She works for the Order hunting Fae that is roaming around New Orleans. Her whole world changed when she lost her adopted parents and boyfriend to a Fae creature. Now, she only allows certain people in her life, but not entirely because she fears she will lose them too. One night out hunting, she ends up getting shot by a Fae, which is highly unusual for a Fae. She ends up meeting Ren for the first time after she ends up back at the order, hurt and bleeding from being shot. Ren is the only one who believes her about the Fae. Ren is from a different order helping out in New Orleans. He has a secret, though, and Ivy is not sure if she can trust him. They end up working together, and they learn the truth about what the Fae are up to, and some other secrets are revealed that I won’t mention in my review. No spoilers. 

I enjoyed the first book to the Wicked Trilogy by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I loved Ren’s character and the mystery about him. I also liked Ivy, but she did drive me crazy. She got herself in some serious predicaments that could have put herself in jeopardy and someone else. Overall, though, I loved the chemistry between Ivy and Ren. These two have steamy scenes together. 

One of my favorite characters in this book is the brownie that Ivy named Tink. He is funny! I loved the banter between him and Ivy, but it was better when he met Ren for the first time.

Jennifer always manages to write stories that grab me from the beginning. I loved this world that Jennifer L. Armentrout wrote and couldn’t believe the twist at the very end of this book. I thought the ending was going to be completely different, but Jennifer shocked me. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series to find out what happens next. It left me hanging. 

Also, I can’t believe it took me this long to read Wicked. Thanks to Passionflix for kicking me in gear to read it since the book was adapted into a movie. I will say this I love the actors/actresses they chose for the characters. =) 

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the series and I highly recommend reading in order.

Cliffhanger: Yes

Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are looking for a New Adult Fantasy based in New Orleans (one of my favorite cities) and has Fae and brownies in it, check out this book. I may be in my late thirties, but I still enjoy these books with paranormal creatures in them.

[stacey_is_sassy]

It was OK...ish

I think I set my expectations too high. I've had Wicked on my to be read list for yonky donks but never got around to reading it. Saw it on audio, and decided to give it a try. I think the biggest problem was that I would be completely distracted by...stuff, and realise I've missed the last few minutes of whatever the heck had happened. It didn't take me any longer to listen but that was because I decided to not go back and hope for the best. Maybe I should have gone back...

I didn't mind the heroine but I tend to get frustrated with characters who don't move on from the past. Yes, she's had some serious trauma to overcome but, I, myself, am not one to bottle things up inside so I get frustrated when characters do. It's never a good thing to let things fester.

Now, our hero, well he comes across as an arrogant, posturing, know-it-all who feels lusty lust for the heroine...and won't give up till she gives in. Sure, I don't mind a determined hero that's been around for awhile, but coming from (practically) a kid, just makes me laugh.

The storyline was interesting, although getting hints at the big picture, frustrated me by the end. I never felt like I was on board with the characters. Everyone had secrets and it was hard to keep track of them all and who we are still waiting on to expose theirs.

The big DUH...DUH...DUH...moment at the end was more of a - Yeah, yeah, I guessed that ages ago, how could she not have seen this coming? It's a cliffy, but I'm not sure I'm invested enough to want to find out how it will all play out.

The narrator does a pretty good job but I don't think I would put her in my favourite's list. I had no problems understanding her and I knew when she was changing characters but her bloke's voice wasn't great.

I'm glad I gave this one a go as it had been on my radar for awhile. I may go back...soon...ish.

[Chelsea]

What I Loved

The steamy scenes did not disappoint! I knew they would be though since this author has never let me down before! I always love the hate to love romances (no matter how often they’re used) so I could tell as I started reading this one that it would be good. It definitely helped with my new adult craving that I was having.

I loved the little brownie / the roommate! His name was Tink and he was hilarious! I loved how he was this teeny little fae guy but he had such a big personality. I’m looking forward to seeing if he plays a bigger role in the next books.

I liked the idea that the characters in this book were similar to vampire hunters except they hunted the fae. I’m always interested in reading about the fae but I was slightly disappointed there wasn’t much folklore in this book. Maybe the next one?

Besides all that, this was just an easy book to fall into which made it easy to like.

What I Didn't Love

This probably doesn’t deserve the higher rating that I gave it because it was very predictable and not very original at all. There were so many YA book tropes in here that it read like a YA book only with lots of sex. (Or sexual tension in this case really.) I wish that there had been something a little more original in this story but for whatever reason I still enjoyed reading it. If you like your books really original then probably skip this one.

Who I'd Recommend To

I’d recommend this to anyone who doesn’t mind reading some typical YA book tropes but wants something a bit older. It was nothing special but it was still really fun to read! I would still recommend it even though the events that took place were pretty predictable.

See the full review at Books for Thought

[Angie]

I was quite excited for Wicked. I love JLA, fae, and New Adult! Sadly, this book is a bit of a mess. I loved the set up of fae hunters in New Orleans. Ivy belongs to a group known as The Order, and has been trained since a young age to fight the fae that want to take over the human realm. Their glamour doesn't work on her (or other members) so it's easy to spot who the enemy is. At least until one night when Ivy comes face to face with a fae who doesn't quite look like a fae and wasn't affected by her iron stake. Something bad must be coming.

Wicked annoyed me from the beginning. I am not a fan of pop culture references in fiction unless it's an important part of the world or story. Otherwise it feels like name dropping and severely dates the book. Also, I can't help but feel like it's product placement, like I'm being advertised at. Within 100 pages all of the references that I caught were The Walking Dead, Amazon Prime, Harry Potter, Brave, Barbie and Ken, Peter Pan, Lucky Charms, Game of Thrones, Twilight, The Muppets, Disney, Braveheart, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Secret Squirrel, and Theo James. After that point the references don't stop or slow, I just got sick of writing them down. It's beyond ridiculous. It also felt like the book was sponsored by Amazon because of how many times it was mentioned!

Then there's the actual plot. Obviously Wicked is the typical story of when everything the characters think they know is flipped on its head and everyone starts running around in a panic. Someone in The Order is a mole, giving up information to the fae, and I knew who that was as soon as they said someone has betrayed the group. Then there's mentions of a previously unheard of type of fae, who is super dangerous and part of some prophecy. I bet you can guess who that ends up being. There is nothing surprising here!

Wicked was just not my thing at all. It was too predictable, which was made more annoying by the characters actually being shocked like they had no idea it was even a possibility. Yeah, right. Then there's the mysterious guy who's part of a super mysterious group that no one knows about unless they're part of it, and yet he spills all of their secrets to Ivy within a day of meeting her, because of reasons. Then she blabs to her BFF, because that's obviously what you do with top secret information that can get you killed. Ivy also has this tragic past and thinks suffering is a competition and no one is as tragic as her and no one can possibly understand! Just shut up! My gosh!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Romance Schmomance]

JLA was one the authors I found after diving more into romance and YA paranormal and she has quickly become an author that I'll always buy books from. From everything she has written, I've loved her paranormal and sci-fi series the most and Wicked tops as one of my favorite series.

In Wicked we've got a new world to discover dealing with fae, pixies, and other Otherworld creatures. Plus set it all in the heart of New Orleans, there's bound to be some sort of shenanigans going down. Keep the beignets coming because Ivy is obsessed with them!

True to JLA fashion, Ivy makes another badass heroine to absolutely love. Even though Ivy can hold her and is utterly independent, there's still a lot of growth in her character as her story progresses. And that's one of my favorite things I loved to read about when it comes to JLA's heroines. Ivy understands pain more than anyone, it was so unbearable that she refuses to let herself be open to that again. Being a part of the Order and balancing the life of a college student, she has more than enough on her plate. And let's not forget her Amazon Prime obsessed sidekick, Tink, to to keep things even more interesting.

And it's not too long when the ever so strong and beautiful green-eyed man that is Ren slams into her life. The chemistry is there between them almost instantly, they just have to be standing in the same room and you'd be able to feel it radiating off of them. There's a bit of a mystery to Ren since he has recently transferred to the New Orlean sect, however there's a big reason he's there but isn't revealing much. If Aiden and Daemon made a baby, you'd get Ren! Another hero to swoon over, who loves twisting Ivy's words, and you'll just add another book boyfriend to add to your evergrowing list!

I loved how action packed it was and constantly leaving me with so many questions, plus it's always my favorite to play the guessing game of who did what. There's seriously a lot of secrets being held in this book between quite a few characters. I thought it was easy to predict a few things here and there by the end; just some good ole plot twists to put you through a loop.

So yeah, JLA does it again with this phenomenal start to her Wicked series, thankfully there will just be three books in this series and absolutely can't wait to read the next!

[Berls]

This was a My TBR List pick and I'm so glad - because once I got started with this trilogy I couldn't stop. I'm currently on the third and final book... and I'm more than halfway through it.

I was pretty sure I would love it because it combines some of my favorite things. Jennifer L Armentrout - she's just a fantastic writer y'all - the Fae, and New Orleans.

So let's start with what JLA has done here - she's created this really cool world where we have The Order, a group of humans who, for whatever reason, were born into families that know about and protect humans from the fae. The Order hunts fae as a job - like literally, they have shifts and get paid to do it (I don't know where the money is coming for that, but who cares, really? lol). The main character, Ivy, is part of the order and she is exceptionally good. (no shock right?) But some shit goes down and she gets hurt... so she gets stuck as "tour guide" to an Order member who's just transferred to New Orleans - Ren. And even though she does, I certainly will not complain. Ren is a great hero - tough, sensitive, frustrating, hot, etc. And he, of course, has his own load of secrets.

The Fae element is really fun in Wicked - I love the fae, but I also like to see different twists in how they're dealt with. JLA has stayed true to some of the more important fae elements, but she's played around with them a bit too, for a really fun mix IMO. I don't want to say too much, since I feel like "discovering" the fae is a big part of the story.

There's a really great Brownie named Tink that is such a fun addition - makes me think of Jenks in The Hallows, even though he's really very different. He has an Amazon Prime addiction that I both adore and can relate to. Along with some really fun movie/TV addictions that bring in some fun references for those of us who share those addictions (and if you're reading this book, you probably do).

As I said, I'm on book 3 already, because these books all end on a bit of a cliff. You're like, "wait, wha?! NO!" and so you immediately download the next book and forget to even update on your goodreads. Because nothing is as important as finding out what will happen next.

I'm listening to this trilogy and the narration is fantastic. Amy Landon is a narrator I feel like I've listened to and enjoyed before, though I can't say for sure. She's done a great job with the voices - including a Tinks voice that I just adore - and I'm really glad I decided to listen rather than read this series.

[Cocktails and Books]

Jennifer L Armentrout gives us another amazing paranormal series to savor. Ivy and Ren were fantastic characters and the storyline engaging and most definitely a page turner. But I think my favorite character was Tink (I want my own Tink). I can't wait to see what comes next in this series.

[zarahoffman]

I loved this book but there were times that my eyes glazed over. I also called ALL the twists and turns. Even the last one, but that's not because of transparent writing. It's because of my freaky sixth sense when it comes to prediction fictional mysteries.