Release Day Review: Made for You by Melissa Marr

Made for You by Melissa Marr

Bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely books Melissa Marr’s first contemporary YA novel is a twisted southern gothic tale of obsession, romance, and murder. A killer is obsessed with Eva Tilling. Can she stop him, or will he claim her?

When Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital, she’s confused—who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? But before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive. But while Eva and Nate grow closer, the killer grows increasingly frantic in his attempt to get to Eva.

For the first time, New York Times bestselling author Melissa Marr has applied her extraordinary talent to contemporary realism. Chilling twists, unrequited obsession, and high-stakes romance drive this Gothic, racy thriller—a story of small-town oppression and salvation. Melissa’s fans, and every YA reader, will find its wild ride enthralling.

My goodness was this book a nail biter. It kept me literally on the edge of my seat, as it was engrossing, captivating, and horrifying all at the same time. Typically I'm not the biggest fan of seeing into the villian's POV as more often than not it either comes across as a cheesy with a "dastardly plan," or frankly, boring. That was no where near the case here as the villain's point of view brought chills to my skin, especially as the book went on, and it became more and more clear just how messed up he was. Frankly this just wasn't something I would have expected from a YA novel. Even though this is a bit out of my preferred genre as thrillers just don't quite do it for me, I found myself completely unable to put MADE FOR YOU down.

I absolutely loved Eva's character. The way she was portrayed was perfect. She comes from a privileged southern family and struggles with the constraints that involves. At the start she's trying to balance what is expected of her and what she really wants from life. You know, the normal teenage struggle to find who really are in life, and I really like the way it was done in this book. Eva won me over right away, which considering everything that happened right away this instant connection really helped to make the read un-put-downable for me. Then when you add in the fact that the rest of the cast of characters, specifically Grace, Eva's parents, and Nate were  every bit as well fleshed out, this one is a winner.

If you are a fan of YA thrillers with a little twist of paranormal, then MADE FOR YOU should be on your next to read list. Heck, even if you aren't a fan of thrillers, you'll still want to give this one a look.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Darkest Mercy

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely #5

 
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.
  

Aislinn has been trying to hold her court together with only half the power of the regency, as Keenan is still missing. The Dark Court has suffered a major blow, one they may just not recover from. Donia, the calm Queen of the Winter court yearns for a love she can never have. Seth is torn between his new mother and the love he isn't sure will last. And War, she is using all of their weaknesses against them to start a war that no one is safe from. To push this point home, a mysterious fey with the power of death behind him lingers nearby. Everything has been leading to this book, and the final showdown.

The resolution between Aislinn, Seth, Keenan, and Donia was the one I was most anticipating. For such a long time all four of them have been fighting their natures and trying to make decisions based on a sense of duty rather then following their hearts. Duty is important, but what is life worth living if you must constantly deny your heart? Never would I have guess things would have been resolved the way they were. However, I think the resolution is absolutely perfect. Regardless of who you were "rooting" for, you will have satisfaction in knowing the characters will finally get a happy resolution, no matter what form it takes.

Things were incredibly chaotic at the end and it was a little hard to keep track of who was doing what in the final battle. However, I don't think this detracted from the story, in fact it added a bit of realism. Battles are messy, brutal and most definitely chaotic, and this book did a very good job of showing that. Even the victor in a battle will have losses as war is just not a pretty thing. I admire the author's ability to show this without completely dragging the tone of the book down.

I really wasn't sure how just one book could tie up all the issues that have been established between all of the characters from the first four. However, I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how everything worked out. I really feel this final book gave the characters the justice the deserve, and each their own slice of happiness, even if a little heartbreak was mixed in. I highly enjoyed this book, as it left a smile on my face once I finished it. If you haven't read the series yet, this is definitely not the place to start, as you'll want the full effect of starting from the beginning. As sad as I am to say goodbye, I don't think the series could have ended in a more perfect place. Fantastic read!

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Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely)

Challenge Categories:
Outdo Yourself
YA 

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