Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr

So, for the first time in months I was able to sit and read a book in one day. It was the perfect way to spend this rainy Sunday, and I must say, this book was a good choice. It was dark and glum, just as the day was.

I originally had set my radar on this book after finishing its prequel, Wicked Lovely, a year ago. I had tried to inter-library loan it, but something happened and it never arrived. With all the craziness that is my life, I forgot about it. Then, one of my students that I talk about books with regularly was reading it and I once again put it on my list.

This book is part of a companion series by Melissa Marr, and though I loved her first book immensely, and I love her writing style, I did not LOVE this book. I liked it, but it lacked something for me....

The premise of this book centers around Leslie. Leslie's life has recently sunken to all new lows. Her mom up and abandoned her family, her dad has become a drunk, and her brother is into hardcore drugs. Her brother is into hardcore drugs so deeply that he is willing to do unspeakable things to settle his debt with his dealers, including selling his sister's body.

So, with all this awfulness in her life, Leslie is looking for an escape, and outlet to focus her fear and sadness. She decides to get a tattoo. Unfortunately for her, her tattoo artist is a halfbreed faery of the Dark Court. The tattoo she chooses isn't ordinary tribal art, it is part of an ink exchange spell. It binds her with the king of the Dark Court. He uses this connection with her to feed the faeries of his court who get their nourishment off the negative emotions (fear, rage, jealous, pain) of others, humans and faeries alike. She basically turns in to a conduit, absorbing all the emotions around her and funneling to him, who in turns absorbs them and then distributes them among his followers. With her being damaged as she has been, it only adds to the intoxicating effects, literally taking weeks from her. She exists in a doped like stupor, essentially becoming an addict just like her family members.

What I liked about this book it the interesting aspect of the inclusion of several different types of faery lore into one. The author takes years of lore and all aspects, the good and bad, and creates this world where they coexist through the novels. Her descriptions of the different types of fey are unique and vivid. I also appreciate the time she took into researching tattoos. The details included added to the realism of the reasoning, method, and escape Leslie sought through this means.

What I didn't like is that I felt the climax was lame. She chooses to fight, but not in the strong female protagonist way the author had portrayed Leslie's counterpart in her first novel. It seemed as though Leslie's decision to overcome was more of a whim than a struggle.

I also felt there was a lack of resolution. The ending, including the epilogue, left too many unanswered questions about the background of some of the other characters that were introduced. Perhaps I will be enlightened by the next book in the set, but I can say I am not nearly as anxious to read that one.

I must say, though, I found the cover to be intriguing. The tattoo the author had designed for this novel is also a fantastic piece of artwork, really representing the character in which is linked. Overall this book wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as I thought the premise could be....