Fragile Eternity audiobook

The long awaited sequel to WICKED LOVELY is here. Melissa Marr was kind enough to give us INK EXCHANGE, a companion to WICKED LOVELY, where we met other characters from this wildly inventive and tantalizing world, but a true sequel is what we really wanted and now we have it.Aislinn (Ash) is dealing with what being the Summer Queen means. She has both physical changes and emotional adjustments to come to terms with. She is spending more and more time with Keenan because of Summer Court business and monthly celebrations with the Summer faeries. Ash feels a pull toward Keenan, even though she knows she doesn’t love him, and feels guilty for the time she spends away from Seth – her true love.Ash’s transformation isn’t just an adjustment for her; it is taking its toll on Seth too. Being with Ash is what he wants more than anything, but the jealousy he feels when she is with Keenan monopolizes his thoughts when he’s alone. Physically, his time with Ash is difficult too. Ash’s strength has drastically increased since she has taken her role as the Summer Queen. Sunlight flows from her skin, especially after Summer’s monthly celebrations, and the heat that radiates from her leaves burns on Seth’s skin. Seth is willing to take the pain as long as he has Ash in his life, but he doesn’t know how long he will be able to keep her. Between Ash’s increased responsibilities to the Summer Court and Seth’s human mortality there doesn’t seem to be much hope.FRAGILE ETERNITY takes us back to the world we fell in love with in WICKED LOVELY. Alliances that were strong in the first book start to shift as needs and circumstances change. The Summer Court, the Winter Court, and the Dark Court all have their own agendas. Will Ash and Seth get caught in the middle?

I was feeling unsure about this series, because I loved Wicked Lovely but felt "meh"-ish about Ink Exchange. Fragile Eternity is a return to the former, but without the wonder (probably because I know that world now). Seth's journey to be closer to Ash, despite the presence of Keenen and the approach of Summer, is at the heart of this book; the choice he makes is not unexpected, but the ending did take me by surprise. And I have to say I never liked Keenen, so his little "oops" that cost him Donia and Ash made me happy. Just wish Niall was a larger part of this one, but perhaps in Book Four?A friend asked if you had to read these in order; my advice is if you haven't read Wicked Lovely, you can't read Fragile Eternity. But in terms of continuity, you won't have missed that much if you skip Ink Exchange

"Fragile Eternity" is the sequel to "Wicked Lovely", but the third in Melissa Marr's "Tales of Faerie". Chronologically, it takes place after both WL and "Ink Exchange", although you do not need to read INK to understand this book. However, this book relies heavily on events from WL, and having read INK will allow you pick up on some subtleties.After the events in "Wicked Lovely" (and "Ink Exchange"), Aislinn is now the Summer Queen, Donia is the Winter Queen, and Seth is still just a mortal (albeit a Sighted one who is best friends with the king of the Dark Court). As Summer nears, Aislinn feels a pull toward Keenan, but she and Seth are starcrossed lovers. Aislinn and Seth are thus each searching for a way to be forever. Their eternity is, appropriately, fragile and finite."Fragile Eternity" is longer than either of the previous two novels, and I'm not entirely sure it needed to be. The first half of the book reads rather slowly, and it seems bogged down by lots of internal monologues that aren't always needed. The first half is very much "conversation, thought, thought, conversation, thought", and it gets old quickly. However, this leads us to the latter half of the novel, where things begin to happen. I absolutely could not put this book down after page 234. I just couldn't, I was flipping through it as quickly as possible.Marr's writing style is very much character reliant, and the multiple points of view reinforce this. Each character, especially the faeries, has motive behind every tiny movement, thought, and word. Luckily, the characters that inhabit Marr's world are in turn joyous, interesting, original, coloured, scary, intriguing, and captivating. Every single character is well thought-out, and it shows. Seth is just the sexiest thing ever. Move over, Edward Cullen, because this guy will work just as hard to stay with the one he loves, although this time it is he that is mortal as opposed to the girl. So romantic. I have another beef, though. The ending is quite possibly the biggest cliffhanger since the last episode of "The Sopranos", and we already know that the sequel will be book FIVE, so we have approximately two years to wait. *cries inside*Anyway, totally the most awesome urban fantasy series of Right Now, Melissa Marr's "Tales of Faerie" continue to capture my imagination.4 Quality4 Popularity

2014 rating: 5 stars2020 rating: 4.5 starsthe angst, the politics, the manipulations, the romances, I can’t take it this series is so fucking good

If you are a fan of the Wicked Lovely series, you are going to love this sequel. It’s the best book of the series by far. Fragile Eternity begins right where we left off on Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange. I’d recently read Ink Exchange, but it had been a while since I’d read Wicked Lovely, but fortunately I didn’t have any problems getting right back into the story. I love Melissa’s Marr’s writing, and I think I enjoyed it even more this time after reading her previous two books. It’s very lyrical alluring. I was completely captivated while reading. I managed to read this one in a day, I was that enthralled! It was fascinating to gain the insights to the Faerie Courts. After two books, we finally get to see some of the inner workings, that make the courts so different and yet very similar to each other. And the introduction to the new characters worked seamlessly within the plot. As for the characters, Naill is still by far my favorite and I think the most complex. Aislinn’s character on the other hand becomes a little tiring. I don’t understand how she can continue to be so naive! She actually had common sense in Wicked Lovely, I just wonder what happened to it. Overall, I loved it, well except for the whole cliffhanger ending! I’m dying to know what happen’s next. Tons of plot twists, and unexpected revelations at every turn, this one will keep you turning the pages!

I doesn't love characters, and I missed the characters of the previous book. Some of the characters were likable enough but sometimes it was a bit hard to understand their motives.The thing I love in these books is this ugly and dangerous fairy world. And again you saw how things are going to end ugly and you couldn't do anything.The weakness of this book was plot: Things went forward and toward the next installment but as an individual book not so much happened.

Critically Plot - 4 out of 5 starsIt had the slow but constant pace I've come to expect from Marr's books, as well as the multiple perspectives. There was also a lot of tension, suspense, darkness, love and sacrifice. Writing Style - 4 out of 5 starsAs always: deliberate, detailed and dark. It is so precise that it makes you feel like there's something wrong, it keeps you guessing, it keeps you on your toes and always looking for the next twist. Characters - 4 out of 5 starsOverall, I was so happy to be back with familiar characters, all the ones I met in the first book but with a completely different plot. They are all still as complex and intriguing as before. This time our main character is Seth, whom I loved the first time I met him and who I love even more after this. He's loving, honest, powerful, incredibly brave and willing to make sacrifices to get the things he loves. Our supporting characters now are our main characters from the first book as well as one extra for good measure. I loved that I was able to get so many different perspectives of all the things that were happening. And while some of the side characters annoyed me or frustrated me, they all obviously play big parts and I'm so anxious for the next book.Emotionally(view spoiler)[The entire time I was reading this book I felt like something big was going to happen and then nothing did.The plot I feel was a long time coming. I honestly believed that the premise for this would be the second book. At the end of the first book, Ash/Aislinn, the new Summer Queen, decides she'll take the new job but that she wants to keep her normal life as well, including high school, her friends and her boyfriend Seth. I love that she came to that decision and stuck to it and made everyone respect it, but I knew it wouldn't be so easy. In this book, we finally get to see how that decision affected Seth, who is our main POV. He has become such a big part of various courts but is still outside of it since he's human. He doesn't like his weaker role or the fact that he can't spend as much time with Aislinn so he decides to become a faerie. He goes to the High Court for it to happen which causes a lot of problems and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time thinking something big would pop open. But in the end, it was more of a potential set up for something big and there was actually no concrete start to anything.Seth is one of my favorite characters in this series. He has just as much pull in the plot and his personality is just as complex as the faeries, though he is more in control of his choices and his emotions. He has learned to play their games and to survive in an environment he is not meant to be in. Now that he got to turn into a faerie and has a surrogate mother of sorts, he is twice as impact full and sort of dangerous within the world. I can't wait to see the growth in his character moving forward.Our other returning points of view, Aislinn and Keenan are really fucking annoying. The former because of her naivety and blind faith in the latter. She is the only person who takes Keenan at his word, even when everyone tells her he is using her to get what he wants. Ash trusts him completely when she shouldn't and it gets worse in her grief of missing Seth, she succumbs to Keenan and his wishes more. Everyone knew where Seth was except Ash. No one told her, specially not Keenan who is the one person who should've since supposedly he wants to best for Aislinn, which is complete bullshit. He is so manipulative and uncaring about anyone but his interests and those of his court. It makes a bit of sense since he's King and all but so is every other Queen/King of all the other courts and none take it so far as he does.I loved that we finally got to see the High Court. It's been mentioned so much in the other books but never described or shown, and I am happy we got to see it in this one. The dynamic is really interesting. How the Queen controls absolutely everything about it, its look, its feel, the way of life. It was strange but interesting all the same. Also, the connections between Sorscha, Bananach and Devlin; no idea that faeries could be related without parentage and it just makes me even more interested to dive deeper into their dynamic. I feel like there is going to be a war at some point and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. (hide spoiler)]

Can't wait for this book! It is a true sequel to "Wicked Lovely"!! (Unlike "Ink Exchange" that was just a companion novel.)------------Wow! As much as I loved the previous books by Melissa Marr, this one is even better! And it's LONGER, too! 390 PAGES!! FRAGILE ETERNITY is such a perfect title for this book. It describes so many parts of the story. It really dives into Aislinn adjusting to being the Summer Queen, Seth dealing with her new life and responsibilities, Keenan coming into his own with his restored power, and all of the Courts politiking for more power and thereby keeping each other in balance. You learn A LOT more about the different Courts, how they operate, etc. I don't think you need to have read INK EXCHANGE in order to get this story, but I now more fully appreciate the story of the 2nd book by understanding how it sets up what I learned in this 3rd book. At first I was annoyed that the 1st, 3rd and 5th books in this series would be the true "sequels", but I'm now really intrigued with the way Melissa Marr has broken up the story. I now have some clues as to why Ani will be the main character of the next book and why it is tentatively titled TOUCHING DARKNESS right now.

Whoah!!! My head is is thrumming from all the new found faerie knowledge I now possess. Melissa does a fantastic job of creating a visual environment for me to lose myself in, in the world of faerie mixed with human reality. The constant learning of faerie law, politics and existence doesnt stop with the first book, Wicked Lovely. It certainly continues with Ink Exchange and right through Fragile Eternity.Without handing out spoilers, Fragile Eternity is a wonderful read. Following Seth through his torment and wonderment is enjoyable. As is the anguish that Ash continues go through. My dislike for Keenan is growing stronger and stronger.... Sorry but he's just one creepy faerie!! Strangely I would trust find myself trusting Niall over Donia. He may be the Dark King, but brutal honesty is high on his list of personal qualities!If you havent started the journey that is the Wicked Lovely series, please go out and get the four books. You will want each next book ready and waiting to go straight onto. I have to wait till August for Radiant Shadows (personal competition prize!).....I am now at a loss and will roam the house aimlessly wondering who Ash chooses, will War get her wish?, will Keenan finally show his true side to Ash...... oh the possibilities!

This book was a continuation of the first and second book of the series. Some say you didn't have to read the Ink Exchange but it set up a lot of things for the third and I think most readers would be slightly confused have they not read it. This book was pretty good. It left you hanging with a couple things. I really like Niall and was hoping Radiant Shadows was about him but after reading the description was slightly disappointed. Maybe Niall will get his own book soon.

Fragile Eternity brought to fruition all the hopes that I had after reading Wicked Lovely. I've heard from a lot of people that this is truly the second book in the series, instead of Ink Exchange, and for the most part I agree. However, I appreciate Melissa Marr's way of telling the story, through bits and pieces and from different peoples' perspectives. I like that we as readers get to see the same world and same events from a number of different perspectives.If the monster theme of A Great and Terrible Beauty was the need for choice, Fragile Eternity's was a cautionary tale about the danger and unexpected effect of inaction. There are several huge decisions that have to be made by various characters: Ash has to choose between Keenan and Seth, Seth has to choose whether to go the distance to pursue a relationship with Ash, Donia has to decide whether to protect her heart from Keenan, Niall has to decide where his loyalties lie and whether or not to articulate them, and Sorcha has to decide whether or not to become involved in the politics and goings-on at the other courts. Some of the characters rise to the occasion and make their own decisions; some of them refuse to act and have the decision made for them. The lesson of the story is definitely that choosing not to act is still a choice, and if you don't make decisions then someone else will definitely make them for you.One of my favorite things about Melissa Marr's characters in these novels is that they are richly drawn, struggling, and definitely not perfect. I spent a sizeable amount of time while reading Fragile Eternity wanting to smack the stupid out of Ash and Keenan. I understand completely that Ash has had a lot thrust on her in a short amount of time and that Keenan has been around for centuries and views people as disposable for a reason, but their apparent surprise at the outcomes of their treatment of other people was frustrating to the extreme. I will admit, too, that the constant "I love you Seth but I'm attracted to you Keenan, I don't love you Keenan!" business did get tiresome after awhile, and it was difficult to be sympathetic to Ash. She relegated the supposed love of her life to basically being a combination therapist/pool boy, and then was surprised and brokenhearted when he took his fate into his own hands! Keenan treated Niall and Donia like crap with a capital C, whether it was on purpose or not, and then he's shocked and heartbroken when they are looking out for themselves and their courts. These aren't necessarily flaws in the writing, though, just illustrations that everyone had their own imperfections that had to be dealt with and overcome.I'm definitly interested to see what direction the series will go in next, and will definitely be reading Radiant Shadows (the next book in the series) when it comes out in April 2010. I would advise, though, that if you're interested in Fragile Eternity that you start at the beginning of the series with Wicked Lovely and go from there.Overall Grade: ARead more reviews at What Book is That?