Stopping Time and Old Habits (Wicked Lovely, Books 2.5, 2.6)

by Melissa Marr

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Stopping Time is a dark and hauntingly beautiful glimpse at what happens shortly after Ink Exchange leaves off. Melissa Marr never fails to disappoint, when it comes to bringing the stories that she tells to life with captivating attention to detail and dark beguiling imagery that has a way of drawing readers in and capturing their attention. It was wonderful to see Irial, Nial, and Leslie together again even if only from a distance in some instances. Stopping Time was so much more than just the title of this novella. It was bigger and more infinite, somehow, the fact that you could possibly stop time as it is and make the world stand still, for just one brief moment and then all goes back to normal the next day. It was...beautiful...in a word. I honestly don't think anyone else could have possibly pulled off the stunning emotion and depth that Marr has done, in this brilliant shining novella. If you enjoy wickedly delicious and dark haunting fantasy, I would definitely recommend the Wicked Lovely series to you. There's just something about it, that has this way of reaching out and pulling you into the world. You will for sure be left in awe!

The insights that Marr gives into the beloved characters, Irial and Nial in Old Habits, is wonderfully rich and delicious to read about. It was intriguing to see them having to deal with the complicated mess of their relationship, their feelings for Leslie and being tasked with having to respect her wishes to live a normal life away from the courts or anything fae, and the power struggle in general between these two, when it comes to the Dark Courts. Melissa Marr weaves a long and intricate past between these two, that gives new introspect into who they are on their own and both together. There is such a brilliant dynamic to the way that she sets up the dark mythical world she creates and the depth that she gives her often complicated and deeply complex characters. It is incredibly too easy to become addicted to this stunning and captivating series, Wicked Lovely. You'll have to read it for yourself, if you'd like to find out what I mean.